Confirmed
Tänak leaves door open for Toyota WRC return
Ott Tänak has not ruled out a 2027 World Rally Championship return with Toyota, despite current absence from competition.
Ott Tänak, the 2019 World Rally Champion, has not dismissed the possibility of rejoining the World Rally Championship with Toyota in the 2027 season. Tänak has been absent from competitive WRC action throughout 2026 after announcing his departure from full-time rallying at the end of the previous year. However, his recent engagement as a test driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing has fueled speculation regarding a potential comeback. His current role involves contributing to the development of Toyota’s new 2027 WRC car, a critical project for the manufacturer.
Testing Engagement
As part of his development responsibilities, Tänak recently participated in the Rally di Roma Capitale, a European Rally Championship event, alongside co-driver Martin Järveoja. They drove a standard Toyota GR Rally2 car non-competitively, operating as a 0-B car which runs between the double zero and official zero vehicles. This arrangement permits organizers to showcase selected drivers for promotional objectives without them entering official competition against the clock. Toyota utilized Tänak’s presence to gather valuable insights into the asphalt routes of Rome, given that the rally is expected to transition from the ERC to host Italy’s WRC round next season, thereby replacing Sardinia's gravel event. This strategic move highlights Toyota's forward planning and its reliance on Tänak’s expertise for future WRC endeavors.
Future Prospects and Stage Assessment
When questioned by Rally Dreamer TV about a potential 2027 WRC return with Toyota, Tänak responded, “Never say never to be honest, but for the moment there is no plan.” This statement indicates that while no concrete plans are currently in place, the door remains open for future discussions. Following Saturday’s itinerary in Rome, Tänak expressed satisfaction with the rally routes, acknowledging their suitability for WRC-level competition. He noted to Rallylink.it that the stages were “surprisingly demanding,” characterized by “quite a lot of broken tarmac and they are quite dirty,” but ultimately concluded they were “challenging but they are good stages” and possess the necessary “material” and demand for the WRC.
Finnish Connection
This story does not have a direct Finnish connection. No Finnish drivers, teams, or events are centrally involved in this specific development regarding Ott Tänak's potential return or his testing activities with Toyota.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Confirmed, which means the people involved have said this on the record. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Sanni Koskela.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Motorsport.commotorsport.com
