Listen, this is wild. Toyota is bringing back the legendary Celica name to the World Rally Championship in 2027 as part of an absolute monster of an expansion.
That is not all, because the Japanese manufacturer is also welcoming back none other than Ott Tänak and Kalle Rovanperä to its 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, naming six drivers across an expanded operation that could see up to six factory cars deployed at individual rallies.
Under this new structure, TOYOTA Racing will campaign the all-new GR Celica Rally1 led by reigning world champion Elfyn Evans, alongside Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari. Meanwhile, GAZOO Racing TOYOTA will run the new GR Yaris Rally1 with Tänak, Rovanperä, and Takamoto Katsuta. Both squads will operate as equal contenders for victory, with the Celica and Yaris being developed in parallel at Toyota's Finnish base in Jyväskylä under the existing TGR-WRT organisation.
Tänak's reunion with Toyota is massive. The Estonian claimed his maiden world title with the team in 2019 alongside long-time co-driver Martin Järveoja, ending Sébastien Ogier's six-year reign after securing 10 WRC rounds during their previous 2018 and 2019 spell. Joining him in making a comeback is Rovanperä, who spent 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 arrivals give Toyota an astonishing three world champions in its 2027 roster, with Evans having just secured his long-awaited maiden title this season alongside co-driver Scott Martin at the season-ending Rally Italia Sardegna. Evans prevailed by just five points over Solberg and six over Pajari after a dramatic final-stage decider. Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson claimed three victories and more stage wins than anyone else in his first full season with Toyota, while Pajari and Marko Salminen also took three wins and finished on the podium nine times across 13 rallies. Katsuta, partnered by Aaron Johnston, rounds out the Yaris squad after a career-best campaign featuring victories at Safari Rally Kenya and Croatia.
The revival of the Celica badge is a wonderful nod to history. The machine was the backbone of Toyota's 1990s rallying dominance, carrying Carlos Sainz to drivers' titles in 1990 and 1992 before Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol took further crowns in 1993 and 1994. Now, more than three decades later, the name returns as the championship enters a new technical era aimed at accessibility and tighter competition.
Toyota has already put the 2027 prototype through its paces with an extensive testing programme, including six days of rally simulation running in central Finland. Homologation is scheduled for December ahead of further livery reveals. To top it all off, 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 on the table.
