Rovanperä Returns to WRC With Toyota in 2027
The two-time world rally champion will rejoin GAZOO Racing TOYOTA after health problems ended his single-seater plans.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Motorsports
Kalle Rovanperä will return to the World Rally Championship with GAZOO Racing TOYOTA in 2027, after withdrawing from the Super Formula championship in March 2026. The two-time WRC champion had left rallying at the end of 2025 to pursue circuit racing.
Why it matters
Rovanperä's withdrawal followed a diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, an inner-ear condition that affects balance and vision. His return brings a two-time champion back to a Toyota team that has won six consecutive manufacturers' titles.
Rovanperä has won two WRC drivers' championships, and Toyota has secured six consecutive manufacturers' titles. The announcement does not specify the 2027 event calendar or contract length.
The players
Kalle Rovanperä
A Finnish driver and two-time World Rally Champion known for his time with Toyota's rally program.
GAZOO Racing TOYOTA
Toyota's factory World Rally Championship team, which has dominated recent manufacturers' championships.
The details
Rovanperä will reunite with co-driver Jonne Halttunen at GAZOO Racing TOYOTA, joining Ott Tänak and Takamoto Katsuta. Toyota will field two equal, competing teams under the new WRC regulations, with Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari driving for TOYOTA RACING.
Timeline
End of 2025: Rovanperä left rallying to pursue circuit racing.
December 2025: He abandoned a Super Formula test at Suzuka due to BPPV.
March 2026: He withdrew from the Super Formula championship.
2027: He returns to the WRC with GAZOO Racing TOYOTA.
Season Trajectory
Toyota's six consecutive manufacturers' titles set the baseline against which its 2027 two-team structure is measured. Adding a two-time champion to a squad already deep in talent reinforces the team's competitive position.
Rovanperä's return adds a two-time champion to Toyota's 2027 WRC lineup, which will field two competing teams. Fantasy and betting players tracking the championship will have a new Toyota entry to evaluate once the season begins.
The takeaway
Rovanperä's path shows how health setbacks can reshape a career, and his planned return to the WRC gives Toyota a proven driver for its expanded two-team structure in 2027.
Further reading
For more on the rally and circuit racing scene, see Motorsports.
