Ott Tanak taking on a role to help develop Toyota’s 2027 World Rally Championship car will provide useful information and reduce workload for the team's current drivers, says Sebastien Ogier.
Toyota has enlisted the services of 2019 world champion Tanak to help carry out valuable testing and develop the Japanese brand's all-new car built to the WRC’s new technical regulations that will come into force next year.
Tanak had been on the sidelines this year after making the decision to step away from competing in the WRC this season. While he has stayed away from the service park, the Estonian has remained linked to the championship by acting as a mentor for current Toyota driver and close friend Takamoto Katsuta.
In addition to that role, Tanak has now been behind the wheel of Toyota’s new 2027 challenger in tests both on asphalt and gravel, the most recent outing taking place in Spain last week.
His return to Toyota, having previously won his only world title with the brand in 2019, has created plenty of speculation that he could be set for a return to the WRC next year, should there become a vacancy at the team.
Nine-time world champion Ogier, who is the only current Toyota factory WRC driver yet to test the 2027 car, has welcomed Tanak’s return to driving, and believes he could be very valuable to the team.
“We have been aware of it [Tanak testing the car] for a little while obviously but Ott I think still have some hunger and some wish to drive bit more probably, and he will tell you better than me,” said Ogier at Rally Islas Canarias, whose WRC future beyond this year is yet to be determined.
“I think like we said at the end of last year that he was obviously not happy where he was and having at least a break maybe sometimes helps. Now he is starting to test our car. I’m sure after months of not driving it has been enjoyable again.
“The feedback from Ott can always be interesting that I’m pretty sure about. At the same time I haven’t tested this car and I’m not sure it is going to happen soon. As we have a busy calendar somehow it is maybe good for the current drivers of the team as without someone doing this job it would make the calendar very intense.”
The 2027 prototype Tanak was driven in Spain last week featured a vastly different body shape compared to the first iteration of the car that emerged earlier this year.
