Toyota GR Celica Returns to WRC in 2027

Toyota has made the Celica name official again, but only for rallying so far. reportedly from toyotagazooracing.com/pressrelease/2026/1103-01 and torquecafe.com/car-news-toyota-gr-celica-2027-wrc-rally-details, the GR Celica will return to the World Rally Championship in 2027 as part of Toyota’s new two-team factory plan.

For rally fans, this is a big comeback. For buyers in Pakistan, it is not yet a showroom story.

Toyota says it will split its 2027 WRC effort into two squads. One team will race as Toyota Racing with the GR Celica Rally1. The other will continue as Gazoo Racing Toyota with the GR Yaris Rally1. Both cars are planned to meet the new 2027 WRC rules and are meant to perform at a similar level.

That matters because the Celica badge has been linked with Toyota performance for decades. In the 1990s, the Celica helped Toyota win four drivers’ titles in the WRC, with Carlos Sainz, Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol all taking championships in the car.

The driver list is also strong. reportedly Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin will lead the GR Celica side after winning the 2026 drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles. They will be joined by Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson, plus Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen.

The GR Yaris team will include Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja, Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston, and Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen for selected events. Toyota has also left open the door for Sébastien Ogier to appear in some rallies.

One of the more interesting details is that the Celica and Yaris Rally1 cars will share their main mechanical hardware. The bodywork will be different, but Toyota will need to balance the aero performance so one design does not get an unfair edge. The new rules allow purpose-built rally cars, so Toyota does not need to launch a road-going Celica just to race one in WRC.

That is the key point for Pakistani readers. This announcement does not confirm a production Celica, a local launch, a price, or booking details for Pakistan. It also has nothing to do with the locally sold Toyota Yaris sedan, which is a different car altogether.

If Toyota does later turn the Celica into a road car, that would be a separate announcement. For now, the confirmed news is only about the rally programme.

Toyota says more technical details, including liveries, will come before the 2027 season. Until then, the GR Celica is back where it started its legend: in motorsport, not in showrooms.

For related Toyota GR coverage, see Toyota's Bold New 2026 GR Yaris Rally1 Livery Revealed for WRC Season and Toyota Unveils GR GT and GR GT3 at Tokyo Auto Salon 2026: Halo Sports Cars Return.

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