Toyota Celica Returns to WRC 2027 With Tanak and Rovanpera

Toyota GAZOO Racing has announced the return of the Celica to the World Rally Championship on 4 November 2026, fielding up to six factory cars across two separate teams for the 2027 season. The campaign commences at Rallye Monte-Carlo from 21 to 24 January 2027.

The Japanese manufacturer will run operations through Toyota GAZOO Racing World Rally Team in Jyväskylä, Finland, developing the all-new GR Celica Rally1 alongside the GR Yaris Rally1. For Malaysian followers, commercial road-going availability, local distributor allocations, and retail pricing in Ringgit Malaysia (RM) have not been announced.

Key Facts

The key facts for Toyota GAZOO Racing's 2027 World Rally Championship programme comprise two separate factory teams, two distinct Rally1 car models, and six confirmed drivers based in Jyväskylä, Finland. The campaign features the returning Celica nameplate built to cost-reduction regulations, with vehicle homologation concluding in December 2026.

**Toyota GAZOO Racing will field up to six factory Rally1 cars across two separate teams in the 2027 World Rally Championship season.**

Which Drivers and Teams Will Compete for Toyota in WRC 2027?

Toyota will operate two separate teams in the 2027 World Rally Championship under Toyota GAZOO Racing World Rally Team, fielding six drivers across equal factory entries. Toyota Racing will run Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg, and Sami Pajari in GR Celica Rally1 cars, whilst GAZOO Racing Toyota runs Ott Tänak, Takamoto Katsuta, and Kalle Rovanperä in GR Yaris Rally1 cars.

According to an official WRC report titled "Tänak and Rovanperä return as Toyota revives Celica for 2027" dated 3 November 2026, both outfits will compete as equal contenders based in Jyväskylä, Finland. Ott Tänak returns to Toyota alongside co-driver Martin Järveoja seven years after securing the 2019 WRC title, having previously claimed 10 victories across 2018 and 2019. Kalle Rovanperä, who secured world championships in 2022 and 2023, returns alongside Jonne Halttunen for selected rallies following a one-year break, whilst nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier may also contest selected rounds.

**Toyota Racing and GAZOO Racing Toyota will compete as equal factory contenders, fielding up to six cars at every 2027 World Rally Championship round.**

What Are the Technical Regulations for the GR Celica Rally1?

The GR Celica Rally1 and 2027-generation GR Yaris Rally1 are built to the 2027 World Rally Championship technical regulations designed to lower competitor costs and attract new manufacturers. Both vehicles are being developed concurrently in Finland to provide identical power levels and equivalent on-stage performance under unified technical rules.

Toyota has already conducted a prototype testing programme including a six-day rally simulation in central Finland. Homologation for both cars is scheduled for completion in December 2026, ahead of livery reveals and technical announcements. Toyota enters the 2027 season following its sixth consecutive manufacturers' title in 2026, where Elfyn Evans won his first drivers' championship by five points over Oliver Solberg and six points ahead of Sami Pajari.

**The GR Celica Rally1 and GR Yaris Rally1 share identical technical regulations to deliver equal power and performance for the 2027 season.**

Why Is Toyota Reviving the Celica Nameplate for Rallying?

Toyota is reviving the Celica nameplate to celebrate more than three decades of world rally heritage and strengthen its factory motorsport lineup. The Celica established Toyota's historic WRC dominance during the 1990s, winning drivers' world titles with Carlos Sainz in 1990 and 1992, Juha Kankkunen in 1993, and Didier Auriol in 1994.

The return of the Celica in 2027 brings back a nameplate that defined Toyota's most successful era in global rallying. Introducing the GR Celica Rally1 alongside the GR Yaris Rally1 expands the manufacturer's presence across the championship whilst aligning with cost-reduction initiatives designed to support sustainable manufacturer competition.

**The Celica nameplate returns to the World Rally Championship more than 30 years after securing four drivers' world titles between 1990 and 1994.**

Who Is This For in Malaysia?

For Malaysian motorsport enthusiasts and rally followers, this announcement confirms Toyota's expanded factory participation in the World Rally Championship with two distinct car models. However, road-going commercial availability, official local distributor allocation, Malaysian pricing in Ringgit Malaysia (RM), and road tax details have not been announced in the source.

The source material focuses entirely on international competition governed by the WRC and prepared at the TGR-WRT facility in Finland. Because the source makes no reference to Malaysian retail distribution, completely knocked-down (CKD) assembly, or completely built-up (CBU) imports, local followers must view the vehicles strictly as competition prototypes. The following table contrasts the two operational teams confirmed by Toyota GAZOO Racing:

**Commercial road-going availability and Malaysian distributor distribution for the GR Celica Rally1 have not been announced.**

Common Questions

These common questions clarify key operational details, driver appointments, and vehicle eligibility regarding Toyota GAZOO Racing's participation in the 2027 World Rally Championship. **Toyota GAZOO Racing will contest the 2027 World Rally Championship season using two distinct vehicle models across two separate factory teams.**

Will the Toyota GR Celica Rally1 be sold commercially to Malaysian buyers?

Commercial road availability, showroom pricing in Ringgit Malaysia (RM), and official local distributor plans have not been announced. The source material outlines the GR Celica Rally1 exclusively as a bespoke competition prototype developed in Finland under technical regulations for the 2027 World Rally Championship season.

Which drivers will compete in the GR Celica Rally1 during 2027?

The GR Celica Rally1 will be piloted by 2026 world champion Elfyn Evans alongside Scott Martin, Oliver Solberg with Elliott Edmondson, and Sami Pajari alongside Marko Salminen. All three driver pairings compete under the Toyota Racing banner as equal factory contenders throughout the 2027 season.

When will the 2027 WRC season and the GR Celica Rally1 make their competition debut?

The 2027 World Rally Championship season and the GR Celica Rally1 will make their official competitive debut at Rallye Monte-Carlo from 21 to 24 January 2027. Full prototype homologation for both new Toyota cars is scheduled to be completed by the manufacturer in December 2026.

Sources and Methodology

This technical report synthesises information regarding Toyota GAZOO Racing's 2027 World Rally Championship campaign from Malaysian motoring portal Careta. **All competitive data, driver rosters, and vehicle specifications originate directly from official reports published on 3 November and 4 November 2026.** Source text details have been translated faithfully from Malay.

Original report: Careta

Information was translated from the original Malay article by Qalif Latif, citing an official WRC report titled "Tänak and Rovanperä return as Toyota revives Celica for 2027" dated 3 November 2026. No currency figures were stated in the source text, and no financial conversions were performed. This article is based on the source report above and was last updated on 4 November 2026.