Toyota has announced a six-car programme for the 2027 World Rally Championship, dividing its effort between two teams and two models built to the series’ new technical regulations: the GR Celica Rally1 and GR Yaris Rally1.
The Toyota Racing team will field the GR Celica for reigning world champion Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari. Solberg and Pajari finished second and third respectively in the 2026 standings. The GR Celica name returns to top-level rallying after the model’s success in the 1980s and 1990s, including championship titles in 1993 and 1994.
Toyota’s other entry, under the Gazoo Racing Toyota name, will use the GR Yaris Rally1. Ott Tanak and co-driver Martin Jarveoja will join two-time WRC rally winner Takamoto Katsuta. Tanak, the 2019 world champion, has worked on developing Toyota’s new cars since leaving Hyundai at the end of 2025.
Kalle Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen will occupy a third GR Yaris seat, but their programme will be part-time. The two-time champion stepped away from the WRC at the end of 2025 to pursue a single-seater career, which was put on hold after he became ill. Having recovered, he will return to rallying in 2027.
Rovanpera’s limited schedule leaves Toyota room to bring in other drivers during the season. The team could include selected appearances by nine-time champion Sebastien Ogier, who has indicated that he plans a reduced programme and will miss the Monte Carlo opener for the first time since 2011.
Toyota also confirmed that WRC Challenge Programme drivers Yuki Yamamoto, Jaspar Vaher and Takumi Matsushita will compete in WRC2. The announcement was made at the manufacturer’s headquarters in Jyvaskyla, Finland, following a groundbreaking ceremony for a new technical centre nearby. Toyota is completing six days of rally simulation testing with its 2027 prototype, and said further information about the cars and their liveries will be released before the season.
Sources: Autosport.