Toyota Gazoo Racing Boosts 2025 Line-up with New and Returning Talent for World Rally Championship
Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) will enhance their squad with a dynamic combination of emerging stars and proven champions for the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship.
After dominating the 2024 season with eight victories in 13 rallies and clinching their fourth consecutive manufacturers’ championship at Rally Japan, TGR-WRT plans to field an expanded roster. They will deploy between four and five GR Yaris Rally1 cars at each event.
Sam Pajari steps up to join the team for his debut entire season at the pinnacle of the sport, following a stellar 2024, where he clinched the WRC2 driver’s championship in a GR Yaris2 rally car. His impressive performances in his initial three Rally1 outings in Finland, Chile, and Central Europe highlight TGR-WRT’s dedication to nurturing young talent and using the GR Yaris Rally2 as a stepping stone to top-tier competition.
Pajari, set to have his co-driver announced shortly, will be a fixture in all upcoming rallies.
Champions Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen will return to full-time competition in 2025 after securing four wins in a limited schedule this year. Fresh from their victory at Rally Japan, Elfyn Evans and his co-driver Scott Marti are gearing up for their sixth consecutive season with the team. Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston are also returning. At the same time, eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais will again undertake a selective schedule after netting three wins this season.
TGR-WRT confirms Jari-Matti Latvala will continue as Team Principal. Over the past four years, he has steered the team to numerous triumphs and championships while fostering talents like Pajari.
Under the driver-first philosophy championed by TGR-WRT Chairman Akio Toyoda, Latvala can balance his leadership duties with competitive driving. He will pilot the iconic Toyota Celica ST185 in the 2025 FIA European Historic Rally Championship, reinforcing Toyota’s enduring rally legacy.
Juha Kankkunen will assume the role of Deputy Team Principal to support the team's continued success and driver-first strategy. A four-time world champion and a veteran of nine seasons with Toyota, including winning his last title in a Toyota Celica ST185 in 1993, Kankkunen brings a wealth of experience to enhance team dynamics and success.
This strategic enhancement of the TGR-WRT squad underscores its commitment to maintaining its competitive edge and developing the next generation of championship contenders as it looks forward to the 2025 season.