WRC
Tänak and Rovanperä return as Toyota revives Celica for 2027
Toyota will bring back the Celica name to the WRC in 2027 as part of a major expansion that will also see Ott Tänak and Kalle Rovanperä return to the Japanese manufacturer's driver line-up.
The reigning manufacturers' champions have confirmed plans to field two separate teams and two different cars under the WRC's new technical regulations, with six drivers named across the expanded operation.
Reigning world champion Elfyn Evans will lead TOYOTA Racing in the all-new GR Celica Rally1, joined by Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari. GAZOO Racing TOYOTA, meanwhile, will campaign the new GR Yaris Rally1 with Tänak, Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta.
Newly crowned world champion Elfyn Evans will spearhead the Toyota attack
© At World
It marks a significant change in approach for Toyota, which is preparing to field up to six factory cars at individual rallies, with both squads operating as equal contenders for victory.
Tänak's return is one of the biggest developments. The Estonian, who claimed his maiden world title with Toyota in 2019, will reunite with the team seven years after that triumph alongside long-time co-driver Martin Järveoja.
The pair won 10 WRC rounds during their previous spell with Toyota in 2018 and 2019, culminating in the championship success that ended Sébastien Ogier's six-year reign.
Ott Tänak was crowned world champion in 2009 in TGR colours
© At World
Rovanperä will also make his WRC comeback after spending a year away from the championship. The Finn, who became the youngest world champion in history in 2022 before retaining the crown in 2023, will contest a selection of events alongside Jonne Halttunen.
Their return gives Toyota three world champions in its 2027 line-up, with Evans arriving off the back of his long-awaited maiden title this season.
Kalle ROVANPERA
© WRC
The Welshman and co-driver Scott Martin secured the championship at the season-ending Rally Italia Sardegna, prevailing by just five points over Solberg and six over Pajari following a dramatic final-stage decider.
All three will now line up together in the new Celica, with Solberg and Pajari having established themselves as genuine title contenders during 2026.
Solberg, alongside Elliott Edmondson, claimed three victories and more stage wins than any other driver in his first full season with Toyota. Pajari and Marko Salminen also took three wins, finishing on the podium nine times across 13 rallies.
For Katsuta, the announcement provides an opportunity to build on his strongest WRC campaign to date. The Japanese driver and co-driver Aaron Johnston broke through for their first victory at Safari Rally Kenya before adding a second success in Croatia.
Juha Kankkunen behind the wheel of the legendary Toyota Celica
© Mcklein Images
The return of the Celica is another major talking point.
The model was central to Toyota's rise in world rallying during the 1990s, carrying Carlos Sainz to drivers' titles in 1990 and 1992 before Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol added further crowns in 1993 and 1994.
More than three decades later, Toyota is bringing the name back as the WRC moves into a new technical era designed to make the championship's top category more accessible and encourage greater competition.
The Celica and Yaris are being developed in parallel at Toyota's Finnish base in Jyväskylä, where both teams will continue to operate under the existing TGR-WRT organisation.
Toyota has already undertaken an extensive testing programme with its 2027 prototype, including six days of rally simulation running in central Finland. Homologation of the new cars is scheduled for December, with further details and liveries to follow ahead of the season.
The manufacturer enters the new era having secured a record-equalling sixth consecutive manufacturers' championship in 2026, a season in which all five of its official crews claimed multiple victories.
There could also be further additions to Toyota's driver roster during the year. Nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier remains part of the team and could make selected appearances, while opportunities for younger drivers from Toyota's development programme are also being considered.
