According to the original plan, Kalle Rovanperä will drive a full season in the World Rally Championship next year. On Monday, Toyota announced its plans for the 2025 season.
The drivers of Toyota’s World Rally Championship team for the 2025 season are clear. Toyota announced on Monday that the team will drive Kalle Rovanperä, Sami Pajari, Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Sébastien Ogier.
Rovanperä, who drove only half of the World Cup rallies this year, will drive a full series again next season. The 24-year-old Rovanperä is the world champion for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
– It is very exciting to drive a full season again. I have gained a lot of motivation this year. We are trying to achieve the drivers’ world championship again, and in addition to that, the goal is also the team title, Rovanperä said in the press release.
Pajari for a full-time role
Pajari can also drive a Rally1 car for a full season. This year, 22-year-old Pajari drove a main series car in three races.
– My dreams are coming true. I am really grateful. It’s been a wonderful year with the Rally2 car and the first races with the Rally1 car, and even though the goal has now been reached, the hard work is just beginning, Pajari was happy.
On Sunday, Pajari secured the kart in the Japanese rally Enni Mälkönen with the win in the WRC2 series. After the race, Pajari unexpectedly said that he will not continue working with Mälkönen.
According to Toyota, Pajar’s new kart will be announced later.
Juha Kankkunen joins team management
Toyota has won four consecutive manufacturers’ World Championship titles. Toyota’s latest championship was secured on Sunday in Japan.
Jari-Matti Latvala will continue as Toyota’s team manager, and he will be assisted by a rally legend Juha Kankkunen.
– Once again, we have a great team. We won the team championship with this team. It’s great to continue with the same crew. I am happy to welcome Sami Pajar to our lineup. Now we also have a young talent with us, the team manager Jari-Matti Latvala rejoiced in the info.
Next year, Latvala will drive the European series in the Historic series with a Celica ST185 car, so deputy team manager Kankkunen will have a role as a follower.
– It’s great to take on this role in the team. I drove for many teams in my career, but in total I have nine years at Toyota. It was the first manufacturer that gave me a chance in the World Series, and I believe it is the best team in the world, four-time world champion Kankkunen stated.
According to Toyota, 4–5 cars from the stable will be seen in every World Rally Championship next season.
The 40-year-old Ogier said on Sunday that he will not drive the full World Series next season. It is still unclear how many races the Frenchman will drive.
Added at 9:03: Pajari will drive a full season in a Rally1 car.