Toyota drivers have welcomed the opportunity to compete in rival teams in next year’s World Rally Championship.
Toyota will run two different teams with two different cars in 2027: Toyota Racing utilizing the GR Celica Rally1 bodyshell, and Gazoo Racing Toyota a GR Yaris Rally1.
New world champion Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari will compete for Toyota Racing with the returning Ott Tänak and Kalle Rovanperä (part-time) joining Gazoo Racing Toyota alongside Takamoto Katsuta.
All six drivers welcomed the split and the opportunity it creates for the WRC – even if they had no input in which car and team they’d be slotted into.
Elfyn Evans
“Obviously it’s a huge commitment from Toyota to the World Rally Championship. And it’s nice, in a way, to continue to be a part of that,” Evans said.
“Obviously, it’s been developing to be a nice story between us at this stage. So, yeah, excited for everything new that’s to come in ’27.
“I think both teams have exciting potential, let’s say, and I think the competition should be high from from both sides,” the world champion added.
“It’s pretty normal in a way to have a a good inter-team battle let’s say as a Toyota driver – it’s been the case now for many, many years but obviously with six cars it’s more than ever.”
Oliver Solberg
“I think it’s absolutely the right thing to do,” Solberg said of creating two teams.
“I think it really shows the commitment that no-one else is showing. I think it’s showing the trust and the belief Toyota has in the future of the sport, the new promoter, the regulations. It shows they really want to be part of it.
“And it puts a lot of pressure on the other manufacturers to be like, you know, hey, we’re doing all this work for the whole championship with young drivers, older drivers, and really put a lot of pressure on everyone else. I think they’re definitely doing the right thing.
“They’re angling it cool with two different cars, a very historic, legendary brand, the Celica, with the new kind of cool Yaris, which has been working so well. And then, of course, it just puts a little pressure on the sport, which I think is great.”
Asked if he had any chance to have input on which team he’d be in, Solberg smiled: “I had no clue until I went to that stage like you guys. But it’s a great team.
“I think, as a whole team globally, we are so many drivers now. Some part-time drivers who are still hanging along. And then, of course, you know, they’re showing the commitment for the experience and for the youth, which I think is great. And by them doing this for the future and then having this cool angle with the two teams and me, Elfyn and Sami sitting in the coolest team, then I’m happy.”
Sami Pajari
“Well, I think it’s cool,” Pajari mused. “In a way, we will have a little bit more competition, even though we are all under the one big tent, basically. I think it’s cool, it’s nice, but also in the other hand, it’s not changing too much because we are quite used to having five cars in most of the rallies.
“And if we are now having six, it’s actually not a game changer anymore. So recently we are quite used to having a big team with many cars, many nice people. So I think we just keep on doing that.”
Pajari agreed that the move is “good for the sport” too.
“It’s maybe nice for many spectators to see. But yeah, still we should not forget about the other teams. At least there has been really a lot of rumors, strong rumors as well, for some other teams joining.
“But yeah, we will still need to keep waiting a little bit for those news. But yeah I still believe we will have a proper season with a good competition.”
Ott Tänak
Tänak said: “It’s actually a great idea. I guess it’s already since the past where in Toyota, the competition has been always very tight, you know, with great drivers. And obviously, in the last couple of years, it’s been growing a bit.
“Also, the competition has been growing, but that’s probably also something that has made this team so strong, you know, that the competition inside here already is so strong. And at the same time, development has always followed behind and here we are today.”
Tänak will be team-mates with Rovanperä for the very first time, with Katsuta – who he mentored in 2026 – by his side for the full season.
“I think we are in a great position and all the opportunities are there, so I guess there is no question where we are,” added Tänak. “In sport generally, I think it’s going to be very open next year and it’s going to be a tight fight.”
Kalle Rovanperä
Rovanperä won’t drive all 15 events, but he’ll be around for half of them. He’s also a fan of the split.
“I think it’s great for us all. Having six cars in the same team, I think, would be too much,” he said. “And I think it’s really interesting.
“We don’t really know what it will actually mean in the races. But yeah, it’s going to be nice. And having Ott and Taka as team=mates, it’s going to be, I think, quite good fun. The whole six driver lineup is really strong. So I think we all will have a big fight.”
Asked if he had any input into which team he’d be in, Rovanperä confirmed: “No, not much. I think, for sure, they have used some idea who is who or who is where. But yeah, I’m happy with this one.”
Takamoto Katsuta
And finally, Takamoto Katsuta paid tribute to Toyota chairperson Akio Toyoda for his relentless commitment to the WRC.
“We have to appreciate Akio-san, our chairman, for giving us this opportunity that is especially necessary for next season to show the fans and the people more competition and strong competition,” Katsuta commented.
“Internal battles and more drivers: Ott Tänak back, Kalle Rovanperä back, and there are three-world champions, maybe more, fighting in the same car. It’s something crazy.
“But like I said, this happened by Akio-san’s heart, by passion for the motorsport, passion for the rallying. He wants to keep this sport alive more, let’s say, make it even bigger and more interesting for the fans. I think this is one of the reasons why they decided to do this. And he wants to really keep alive in this sport as the best motorsport in the world.”
On working directly alongside Tänak and Rovanperä, Katsuta added: “It’s an incredible team. Alongside Ott and Kalle, I’m very happy to be part of this team. And yeah, I think it will be interesting next year.
“Of course, every driver can win the rally. And a new car, the power balance can change. Everybody is still trying to find a way to drive fast on the new car. It’s quite a different type of the car and the speed range, so it’s very necessary to adapt your driving style as well.
“But for me personally, two very good friends in the same team, friendship will be no problem as always, but it will be quite interesting how it goes and fighting internal battle between the Celica team and the Yaris team. It’ll be interesting.”
