Ott Tanak Leaves Door Open for Toyota WRC Comeback

Ott Tanak has refused to rule out a return to the World Rally Championship with Toyota next year, although he stressed that no plan is currently in place.

The 2019 World Rally champion stepped away from the WRC at the end of last season. In recent months, however, Tanak has returned to the wheel as a Toyota test driver, helping the Japanese manufacturer develop its all-new 2027-specification WRC car.

That role brought him back onto competitive stages at Rally di Roma Capitale last weekend. Tanak drove a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 alongside co-driver Martin Jarveoja as the event’s 0-B car.

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Toyota sent Tanak to Rome to gather information on the rally’s asphalt stages. The data carries added relevance because Rally di Roma Capitale is expected to step up from the FIA European Rally Championship to the WRC next year, replacing Rally Sardinia as Italy’s championship round.

Asked whether a return to the WRC or Toyota next year was possible, Tanak did not dismiss the idea.

“Never say never, to be honest, but for the moment there is no plan,” Tanak told Rally Dreamer TV.

Tanak also praised the character of the Rome stages. He said Saturday’s route was surprisingly demanding, with a significant amount of broken asphalt and dirty roads, but still offered the level of challenge required for the World Rally Championship.

“The stages on Saturday were surprisingly demanding. There was quite a lot of broken asphalt and the roads were fairly dirty. It was challenging, but they were very good stages,” Tanak told Rallylink.it. The evaluation gives Toyota useful reference points as its 2027 car project moves into its next development phase.