Sports · Motorsport · 2 hrs ago
Toyota in talks with Kalle Rovanperä about a possible 2027 WRC return
Toyota is discussing a possible 2027 WRC return with Kalle Rovanperä, a two-time world champion who tested the team’s 2027 car in Spain.
Rovanperä won world titles with Toyota in 2022 and 2023, but his plans for next season are not settled.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala said Rovanperä has shown interest in rallying and that discussions have begun.
The team has not established whether he would drive a full championship, or what place he could take in its line-up.
Toyota already has younger drivers Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari competing for titles, while Sébastien Ogier has indicated he expects to contest fewer rallies in 2027.
Toyota says keeping Rovanperä in its team matters, and running two three-car teams is a possibility if it has enough drivers.
The next step is to clarify Rovanperä’s plans and agree whether he will return, but no deal has been announced.
Toyota is discussing a possible 2027 World Rally Championship return with two-time champion Kalle Rovanperä, team principal Jari-Matti Latvala said.
Rovanperä tested Toyota’s 2027 WRC test car in Spain.
Latvala said the team still needs to establish whether Rovanperä is ready to drive a full championship.
Toyota wants to keep Rovanperä in its team, but his place in the line-up is unclear.
Rovanperä won WRC titles with Toyota in 2022 and 2023.
- Who
- Toyota and Kalle Rovanperä. Team principal Jari-Matti Latvala said discussions are ongoing.
- What
- They are discussing a possible return to the WRC in 2027.
- When
- The discussions are ongoing, with a possible return next season.
- Where
- Rovanperä tested Toyota’s 2027 WRC test car in Spain.
- Why
- Latvala said Rovanperä has shown interest in rallying. Toyota also wants to keep him in its team.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Toyota had been running five cars since Rally Islas Canarias, the fourth round of the season.
Rovanperä tested Toyota’s 2027 WRC test car in Spain.
DirtFish reported that Toyota and Rovanperä were discussing a possible WRC return.
- Possible return
- 2027 WRC season
- WRC titles
- 2, in 2022 and 2023
- Test location
- Spain
- Toyota team principal
- Jari-Matti Latvala
- Toyota cars
- 5 since Rally Islas Canarias in April 2026
What people are saying
We are having some discussions with him, but we have to see what the idea is. Is he ready to drive the full championship and so on? So yeah, we have started some discussions.
And, of course, he’s an important driver, so we wouldn’t want to lose him.
Sources
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