[11] In July 2015 however, Toyota President Akio Toyoda elected to reassign responsibility for the project to Tommi Mäkinen, who based the team in his native Finland.

Only the engine would be built by TMG, and by this time new World Rally Car regulations due for 2017 forced Mäkinen to shelve the Yaris WRC prototype and start anew.

[17] Reigning WRC2 champions Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm made their début in a WRC specification car, contesting a partial campaign from the Rally of Portugal.

The team's best result of the season came in Finland, with Lappi taking his first WRC win, Hänninen his first podium finish, although Latvala had to retire from the lead with a mechanical problem.

Hänninen remained in a test driver role and Lindström replaced Jarmo Lehtinen as the team's sporting director.

Kogure and Yamamoto currently compete with Toyota GR Yaris Rally2s, while Goto and Matsushita drive Renault Clio Rally4s in Finnish and European events.

Trainers for the program include Finnish former rally drivers Jouni Ampuja, Mikko Hirvonen, and Juho Hänninen.

[32] The WRC Challenge Program's first and only graduate is Takamoto Katsuta, who currently competes for Toyota's manufacturer team in the World Rally Championship.