Ott Tanak will make his American Rally Association (ARA) debut at next month's Overmountain Rally Tennessee, driving a Toyota GR Corolla Rally RC2. The Estonian, who won the World Rally Championship with Toyota in 2019, is back with the team in a testing and development role for 2026.
After leaving Toyota for Hyundai in 2020, Tanak returned to the Japanese manufacturer last year. His main focus has been developing Toyota's new 2027 WRC challenger, but he also made a public appearance at the Rally di Roma Capitale last month, where he drove a GR Yaris Rally2 without officially competing.
Now, he'll take a more active role. Tanak will line up alongside Seth Quintero at the Overmountain Rally, driving the second GR Corolla Rally RC2 entered by Toyota. The event takes place on September 18-19.
Toyota's statement confirmed: "Ott Tanak and Martin Jarveoja will take part in the ARA National Championship round at Overmountain Rally Tennessee on September 18-19, driving the second GR Corolla Rally RC2 alongside Seth Quintero and Topi Luhtinen." The team added that the Estonian crew's participation is part of ongoing testing work, helping gather valuable knowledge of local gravel roads in a region being considered for a future WRC event in the United States.
So far this year, the GR Corolla Rally RC2 has been dominant in ARA, winning four of five rallies with Quintero and Jari-Matti Latvala at the wheel. Tanak's involvement is expected to bring additional speed and experience to the program.
This debut marks a significant step for Toyota as it explores the American market's potential for WRC. With Tanak's proven pace, the team gains not only a competitive driver but also valuable insights into the car's performance on American soil.
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