Toyota expands its WRC programme: two car types with six drivers on the starting grid

The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) will field two independent teams with two different cars in 2027. The two teams, which will be on an equal footing, will compete as Toyota Racing and Gazoo Racing Toyota.

Toyota Racing will field the GR Celica Rally1, thereby bringing back a legendary name to its rallying programme. Its sister team, Gazoo Racing Toyota, will compete with the GR Yaris Rally1, built in accordance with the new World Championship regulations.

Semi Pajari mit einem neuen Toyota-Protoypen bei Testfahrten

Foto: Toyota

The team will be led in 2027 by the newly crowned world champions Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin. The experienced and consistently reliable Welsh-English duo are entering their eighth consecutive full season with the team. No one in Toyota’s long history in the World Rally Championship has competed in more rallies for the brand. After five runners-up titles, the pair secured their first World Championship title this year.

Their team-mates are the Swede Oliver Solberg and his British co-driver Elliott Edmondson, who finished as World Championship runners-up in their first full season following a dramatic finale at the Rally Italia Sardegna. In 2026, they won three rallies and recorded the most special stage wins.

Toyota-Rückkehrer: Ott Tänak bei Testfahrten in Finnland

Foto: Toyota

The Toyota Racing trio is completed by Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen. In their second full season in the top class, the Finns finished third overall and won three events. With nine podium finishes from 13 rounds, they demonstrated exceptional consistency.

The Yaris team has finalised the comeback of the two former world champions, Ott Tänak and Kalle Rovanperä. Tänak, who was still competing for Hyundai in 2025, clinched the World Championship title with Toyota in 2019 alongside co-driver Martin Järveoja. In total, Tänak has secured 22 World Rally Championship round victories during his career.

The return of Kalle Rovanperä and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen is eagerly anticipated. The Finns are back in the World Rally Championship after a year’s break. Rovanperä, who became world champion with Toyota in 2022 and 2023, will only be competing in a part-time programme. Rovanperä had intended to compete in the Japanese Super Formula single-seater series in 2026, but an illness brought the project to a premature end following his first test drives.

The Yaris line-up is completed by the Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta and his British co-driver Aaron Johnston. Last season, the duo secured their first two victories in the World Rally Championship in Kenya and Croatia.

Oliver Solberg bei Testfahrten in Finnland mit WRC1-Prototyp

Foto: Toyota

No programme has been announced for nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier. However, the Frenchman remains closely associated with Toyota. Should he take part in any World Championship rounds on a part-time basis, he would alternate with Rovanperä in the Gazoo Racing car. Ogier had previously ruled out taking part in the traditional season-opener, the Monte Carlo Rally, which he has won ten times.

The team could also explore opportunities for young drivers who demonstrate their potential in the Toyota GR WRC Challenge programme to compete at the highest level in the World Rally Championship.

Comeback in der Rallye-WM: Kalle Rovanperä

Foto: Toyota

Toyota’s preparations for the new era of rallying are already in full swing. Intensive testing with a prototype is currently taking place over six days in the Finnish forests. Homologation for the two cars is due to take place later this year.

The cars will be built and maintained at the Finnish site in Jyväskylä. Toyota is currently constructing a team headquarters in Majajärvi that is five times larger, thereby demonstrating its determination to maintain an ambitious commitment to rallying.