Former world champion Ott Tänak makes his Toyota comeback in the USA

A surprise from Toyota: at the seventh round of the American Rally Association National Championships (ARA), Ott Tänak and Martin Järeovja, the 2019 world champions, will drive a second Corolla alongside the regular team of Seth Quintero and Topi Luhtinen.

Tänak, who was still driving for Hyundai in the World Rally Championship last year, is set to help Toyota’s US campaign by gathering valuable insights into the local gravel stages in Tennessee. The region is being considered as a venue for a future WRC round in the US.

Die Toyota-Corolla Rally RC2: Einsatzfahrzeug von Tänak in Tennesse

Foto: Toyota

Tänak’s rally car will be the Toyota GR Corolla Rally RC2, which is based on the GR Yaris Rally2. The turbocharged all-wheel-drive car is fitted with a 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine producing around 300 PS.

The Corolla made its US debut with Toyota Rally Raid World Championship driver Seth Quintero at the second round of the ARA series in Missouri in March. At the fourth round in Ohio in June, the 23-year-old Californian celebrated his first victory in traditional rallying. At the seventh and penultimate ARA rally, Quintero will now be supported by former world champion Tänak.

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The 38-year-old veteran from Estonia joined Toyota as a development driver following his departure from the World Championship and is playing a leading role in the testing of the future Rally1/WRC27 works car.

Ex-Weltmeister Ott Tänak: In 2026 Test- und Enwicklungsfahrer für Toyota

Foto: Red Bull

In his role as a Toyota test driver, Tänak drove a GR Yaris Rally2 as a pace car at the Rally Rome, which will count towards the World Championship in 2027. Following the tarmac rally in Italy, his first competitive outing on gravel in Tennessee makes perfect sense for two reasons: On the one hand, the 28-time World Championship stage winner can gain further experience for Toyota in the Corolla Rally RC2; on the other, he is the first top driver to have familiarised himself with special stages from future World Championship rounds in both Italy and the USA.

This is fuelling speculation that Ott Tänak will return to the World Rally Championship as a Toyota works driver next season.