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Dual-Team Setup and Parallel Vehicle Development
Toyota has revealed its programme for the 2027 World Rally Championship, introducing a restructured operation spanning two separate teams, two car models, and six driver crews. Under the incoming Rally1 technical regulations, the Japanese manufacturer will field TOYOTA RACING with the debuting GR Celica Rally1, alongside GAZOO Racing TOYOTA campaigning the new GR Yaris Rally1. The target is to field up to six cars at each event, distributed between two squads considered equal competitors in the fight for victory. Both squads will continue to operate out of the shared facility in Jyväskylä, Finland, where development of the two cars will proceed in parallel.
2026 Championship Context
The decision follows a particularly positive 2026 season in which Toyota equalled the record by capturing its sixth consecutive Manufacturers' championship, with all five of its crews claiming at least one event victory. The Drivers' title was settled at the final round of the year, where Elfyn Evans secured the championship ahead of Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari, who completed the season five and six points behind the Welshman respectively.
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Evans, Solberg and Pajari on GR Celica Roster
TOYOTA RACING will entrust the new GR Celica Rally1 to reigning champions Evans and co-driver Scott Martin as they prepare for their eighth consecutive season with the Japanese manufacturer. The campaign represents Evans' first title defence following five prior runner-up championship finishes. Evans and Martin will be partnered by Solberg and Elliott Edmondson, who finished second in the championship during their first full season with Toyota, taking three victories and the highest tally of special stage wins after claiming the 2025 WRC2 title in a GR Yaris Rally2. Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen complete the lineup after finishing third in the championship with three victories, marking their third season with Toyota and second full campaign in the top category.
Tänak Return and Katsuta at GAZOO Racing TOYOTA
GAZOO Racing TOYOTA will run the new GR Yaris Rally1 across a three-crew roster featuring different characteristics and experience levels. The main development is the return of Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja, who rejoin the team with which they secured the 2019 title. The Estonian pairing previously collected ten victories across two seasons with Toyota and return to competition after working on the new car project as test drivers. They are joined by Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston following a 2026 campaign featuring the Japanese driver's maiden championship victory in Kenya and a subsequent triumph in Croatia, as Katsuta became the first Japanese driver to lead the standings.
Partial Campaign for Rovanperä
The third GAZOO Racing TOYOTA crew brings together Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen after a year away from rallying competition. The Finnish duo secured consecutive titles in 2022 and 2023, making Rovanperä the youngest champion in history. Their 2027 programme will be partial and comprise only selected rounds. That arrangement leaves room for other potential entries across the season, including possible appearances by nine-time champion Sébastien Ogier. The Frenchman will remain part of the GAZOO Racing family, while Toyota also keeps open the possibility of involving young drivers from the GR WRC Challenge Program.
Rally Simulations and Rally1 Regulations
Alongside the crew announcements, Toyota is completing six days of rally simulations in Finland with the 2027 prototype. Both the GR Celica Rally1 and GR Yaris Rally1 will adhere to the same technical regulations, delivering equivalent power and performance. The new rules aim to make the Rally1 category more accessible and increase competition, while ensuring all drivers possess machinery capable of contending for victory. Homologation of both cars is expected to be completed before the end of 2026, with further technical details and competition liveries scheduled to appear ahead of next season.
