Oliver Solberg relishing Toyota’s historic Celica WRC revival for 2027

Oliver Solberg reckons it is "awesome" to be part of the revival of the iconic Toyota Celica brand in the World Rally Championship - and is ready to move on from this year's title heartbreak.

A little over a month since Solberg saw his dream to become world champion end two corners from the finish of the final stage, the Swede was named as one of three drivers that will pilot the all-new factory Toyota GR Celica Rally1 car next year.

Toyota announced on Tuesday that it plans to revive the iconic Celica brand which brought success to the manufacturer through the 1970s, '80s and '90s, winning back-to-back manufacturers' crowns in 1993 and 1994. The car famously guided Carlos Sainz to drivers' titles in 1990 and 1992, with Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol going on to win championships in 1993 and 1994 respectively.

The Celica, which will also be piloted by defending world champion Elfyn Evans and Sami Pajari under the Toyota Racing moniker, will go up against a GR Yaris driven by Ott Tanak, Kalle Rovanpera and Takamoto Katsuta as part of Toyota's bold new strategy. It will see Toyota split its expanded six-car WRC effort into two distinct teams, running two models of car that will be identical underneath the body shell.

Solberg only learned that he will be driving the Celica at the launch but is excited to be part of such a legacy brand in the WRC, and one that has a family connection given his father made his WRC debut in 1998 driving a Celica.

"It's awesome. I think it's a cool angle. It's a different way of doing it, which I think is unique for any sport," Solberg told Motorsport.com when asked about Toyota's 2027 strategy.

"I think having the opportunity to have a lot of drivers with different cars, you can have more marketing, you can market in different ways. The Celica coming back as a historic legacy brand, I think it's cool for us young drivers to be in a car like that. It's a little bit of history. So I think the angle is pretty awesome from a marketing point of view and myself, Elfyn and Sami to be driving under Toyota Racing is pretty cool.

"It's going to be a crazy rivalry between all the drivers, some part time and some full time. But I think the rivalry is going to be crazy and really fun."

Solberg ready to heal the hurt of agonising title defeat

Oliver Solberg, Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari

While the focus is fully on 2027, Solberg admits that losing this year's title by running off the road in the final stage of the season in Sardinia still stings.

However, on reflection of his maiden year in Rally1, he is ultimately proud and glad to have played a part in raising the profile of the championship following the dramatic title showdown climax that went viral on social media.

"I'm okay now," he said. "I'm great to be honest. For sure, it still hurts a little bit in my heart, but I mean, I think when you take a step back and look at it all and experience it all afterwards, you're just very proud of the whole season, of the rollercoaster we had and still be able to fight at the end like that, and never giving up and really trying my very best and showing my potential.

"I think we speak about 150 metres here, it's not far away from being world champion. But again, I didn't give away my championship there. I probably gave it away earlier in the year. I can't explain why it happened in the last corner there, it just happened. It took me by surprise, like everyone else. That's why I also think I can move on quicker, and all the support from the world, all the messages, the hype, everything has just been amazing. So I really think it's been a great outcome.

"I think this is what sport is about. This is what builds every sport up to be something great, and I think we need these stories, these unique moments, and then we need someone to show it also, kick it up in the world. I think what was great is all these messages I received around the world from different athletes in motorsport and not motorsport, everyone's like, 'wow, what is rallying? What is this? This was the craziest thing we've ever seen.'

"I think you need to use it [the moment] to the maximum now, especially now when you see the investment Toyota is putting in for the future. Everyone needs to work together now to really bring the sport to the next level."

Looking ahead to the 2027 season, Solberg says he is even more hungry to reach the pinnacle of rallying by claiming the WRC title.

"The hunger is always there. The passion is always there," he added. "I didn't give up to the end so the belief is there and that's the most important, especially now with all the experience you build through a year, all the learning you've had through a year, through the good and the low moments, so I think the potential and the belief is definitely there for next year to build on something."

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