Sports · Motorsport · 2 hrs ago
Ott Tänak returns to Toyota and the WRC for 2027
Ott Tänak is returning to the World Rally Championship in 2027 after taking a sabbatical.
The Estonian driver is rejoining Toyota, the team he left at the end of 2019 as world champion.
He said he took time away because he was struggling to find his final edge and wanted time to himself.
Tänak said he began missing the championship within months, though he also valued being away from its demands.
Toyota contacted him because its drivers were busy with the championship and the team needed more testing for its new car.
His goal is to become world number one again, but he said the new regulations make it hard to predict who will be strongest.
He expects the season to be open at the start and says Toyota still has work to do on the car.
Ott Tänak will return to the World Rally Championship in 2027 with Toyota, the team he left at the end of 2019.
He will drive a GR Yaris Rally1 alongside co-driver Martin Järveoja and Takamoto Katsuta.
Tänak and Järveoja have been involved in developing Toyota’s new cars as test drivers.
Tänak said his desire to drive remained strong after time away from competition.
Toyota plans to run a six-car 2027 line-up across two teams, using GR Celica and GR Yaris machinery.
- Who
- Ott Tänak, an Estonian rally driver, and co-driver Martin Järveoja.
- What
- Tänak will return to the WRC with Toyota for the 2027 season.
- When
- 2027.
- Where
- The World Rally Championship. Tänak is rejoining Toyota, the team he left at the end of 2019.
- Why
- Tänak said he missed driving and still had a strong desire to compete.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Tänak left Toyota after winning the world championship with the team.
Tänak left Hyundai and took time away from WRC competition.
Tänak and Järveoja worked as test drivers in the development of Toyota’s new cars.
Toyota announced Tänak’s return to the WRC for the 2027 season.
Tänak is set to compete for Toyota in the WRC.
- Return season
- 2027
- Team
- Toyota
- Car
- GR Yaris Rally1
- Co-driver
- Martin Järveoja
- Previous Toyota title
- 2019
5 sources
What people are saying
I have enjoyed having some time away from competition, but the desire to drive has still been strong, and it’s been an interesting challenge to get involved in this new project.
It’s going to be a new start for everybody and there are still a lot of unknowns, but I’m looking forward to getting back on the stages and pushing together with the team to achieve some good results.
I guess in a way, at the time the decision was taken. I was probably a bit relieved to be honest.
I mean, in this new regulation, I guess it will be so open.