Toyota deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen has revealed that convincing Ott Tänak and Kalle Rovanperä to return to the World Rally Championship for the 2027 season was straightforward, joking that the agreement required little more than a dinner and three bottles of wine. Both drivers had been absent from the rally scene since stepping away at the end of the 2025 campaign to take a break and pursue new objectives. Their comebacks represent the focal point of Toyota's recently announced 2027 programme, which introduces a restructured operational layout featuring two squads and two distinct car models.
Toyota's confirmed six-driver roster for 2027 will be divided across two separate outfits. Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg, and Sami Pajari are scheduled to drive the Celica Rally1 for the Toyota Racing team. Meanwhile, Gazoo Racing Toyota will field the Yaris Rally1 for Takamoto Katsuta, Tänak, and Rovanperä. Sébastien Ogier will also join the wider effort to contest an extremely limited number of events.
According to Kankkunen, neither competitor needed significant persuasion to commit to a return. Rovanperä required slightly more discussion because of his desire to continue participating in circuit racing outside the WRC, resulting in a part-time campaign. Toyota accommodated those ambitions by offering the Finnish driver opportunities to test its GT3 car whenever he wishes, alongside ongoing freedom to take part in drifting. Kankkunen noted that with those options available, Rovanperä agreed to return relatively easily.
The exact number of rallies Rovanperä will contest in 2027 has yet to be determined, as Toyota continues internal discussions regarding Ogier's planned appearances. Kankkunen explained that the arrangement remains open, confirming that while Ogier will enter several rounds, Rovanperä will take part in a greater number of rallies. The team has not yet decided precisely how those commitments will be divided as the Japanese manufacturer prepares to campaign two distinct teams and two different cars.
