At the presentation of Toyota's line-up for the WRC 2027, one prominent name was missing: Sebastien Ogier. The nine-time world champion is still part of the team but is set to be used far less often. While the Frenchman contested eleven WRC rounds in each of the past two years, team principal Jari-Matti Latvala expects a considerably smaller programme for the coming season.
"Seb will definitely drive fewer rallies than in any other season. We haven't agreed on an exact number yet. At most three, but probably two," Latvala explained.
Already at the season finale in Sardinia, Ogier announced that for 2027 he would, for the first time since 2011, forgo a start at the Monte Carlo Rally. Which events he might contest instead is not yet clear.
Toyota will use vacant seats to promote young drivers
The new team structure gives Toyota additional options. While Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari will drive the new GR Celica Rally1, Ott Tänak, Takamoto Katsuta and Kalle Rovanperä are slated for the GR Yaris Rally1.
However, Rovanperä will only contest selected rallies. That means Toyota can field the third car of its Yaris team with different drivers at several events.
Latvala wants to use this opportunity particularly to promote young talent. In addition to the prospects from Toyota's own development programme, which include Yuki Yamamoto, Jaspar Vaher and Takumi Matsushita, drivers who compete outside the official Toyota junior squad in a GR Yaris Rally2 are also eligible.
A place in the development programme is not a mandatory requirement for that, Latvala made clear. What matters instead is whether a driver, with the Toyota in the Rally2 category, can make a case for a seat in the highest WRC category.
