Latvala welcomes Kankkunen to Toyota’s WRC leadership

Just hours after securing the silverware and winning FORUM8 Rally Japan, Toyota unveiled a line up which included two Finns: one new and one returning. Sami Pajari joining the squad’s driver roster for 2025 had been telegraphed following his WRC2 win and three solid performances in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.

Juha Kankkunen joining as deputy team principal was a special surprise. The four-time world champion will step in when Jari-Matti Latvala’s on duty aboard his Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD.

It was hard to know who was the more excited out of Kankkunen and Latvala at the presentation in Nagoya on Monday. Talking of the first time he’d met his hero as a giddy 15-year-old, Latvala’s eyes lit up at the prospect of driving a car similar to that the older of the two had used to win the 1993 world title.

“The Celica,” said Latvala, “that Celica is the one I remember for Juha. It was his car. He drove it so well. It was incredible to watch. And now to have the chance to drive a car similar in the European Historic [Rally] Championship and to work with him in the world championship is incredible.”

Kankkunen was similarly pleased, adding: “It’s a special moment. I started my journey with this team when it was managed by Ove Andersson. I learned a lot from him and to come back and do the [same] job is incredible for me.”