Stepping up Close with Morizo at Rally Hokkaido - Reflections on a Century and a Comeback for the Celica
In the world of rally racing, the recent Rally Hokkaido was a spectacle to behold, with Toyota's Akio Toyoda, better known as Morizo, taking centre stage. The event, round seven of the All Japan Rally Championship, was dominated by Jari-Matti Latvala, World Rally Team Principal, who made a last-minute entry.
Morizo, Chairman of Toyota, was not just a spectator. He was deeply involved, performing demo runs, flag-waving duties at the starting line, and even participating in a special stage alongside Juha Kankkunen, a four-time World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers' title winner.
During the special stage, Morizo shared his driver's perspective insights, providing a unique and captivating commentary that added to the excitement of the event. His involvement extended beyond the race track, as he sat down for an on-air interview with Hitoshi Hongo, former editor-in-chief of Best Car magazine. The conversation delved into topics such as the Century and Celica, moving beyond the usual press conference responses.
Morizo's racing team, ROOKIE Racing, operates primarily on borrowed funds due to Toyota's reluctance to provide vehicles. Despite this, Morizo personally owns and operates the team, which falls within the privateer category. He created ROOKIE Racing to pursue endeavours that could not be accomplished at GAZOO Racing.
Meanwhile, Subaru's absence from the WRC top category was palpable. As of mid-August 2025, Subaru has not officially announced a return as a factory team in the WRC. However, Subaru Motorsports USA is set to participate in the Ojibwe Forests Rally with the WRX ARA25 rally cars, indicating Subaru-backed privateer or semi-official efforts rather than a full factory WRC team entry.
Subaru's continued commitment to rally heritage and performance models was evident, with the recent showcase of the WRX Project Midnight at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2025. Despite this, the 2025 WRC season is currently dominated by other manufacturers such as Toyota, Hyundai, and M-Sport Ford, with no Subaru entries winning or officially competing at the highest level.
Morizo, ever the enthusiast, admitted to inviting Subaru representatives to view the rally and arranging a visit to Rally Japan in November. He also shared his opinion about bringing in more teams with the FIA president. As a privateer, Morizo has access to information that a factory team head might not receive, and he used this advantage to interpret for Latvala on the Toyota Times live broadcast after his drive.
In summary, Morizo's involvement in the Rally Hokkaido was a testament to his passion for rally racing. Subaru, on the other hand, continues to maintain its rally ties through privateer or affiliated teams, but a factory WRC comeback remains uncertain. The main WRC manufacturers remain Toyota, Hyundai, and M-Sport Ford as of now.
Sports extended beyond the race track during the Rally Hokokkaido, as Morizo, Chairman of Toyota, shared his driver's perspective insights and provided captivating commentary, delving into topics such as the Century and Celica. Meanwhile, Subaru continued to maintain its rally ties through privateer or affiliated teams, with Subaru Motorsports USA participating in the Ojibwe Forests Rally, but a factory WRC comeback remains uncertain.
