WRC 2
Gill balancing speed and spreadsheets after Sweden breakthrough
Almost two weeks on from a breakthrough Rally Sweden performance, Taylor Gill is still coming to terms with what he achieved on the frozen roads around Umeå.
The Australian stepped up to a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 for his WRC2 debut and immediately mixed it with the category’s established frontrunners. A top-five finish was the reward - and even he hadn’t quite dared to expect that.
“It’s unreal, to be honest - just an incredible result,” Gill said. “Before the event I was thinking a top five would be a really good result, so to achieve that is pretty damn cool. It probably exceeded my own expectations.”
Gill, runner-up in the 2025 FIA Junior WRC, has spent recent years living in Finland to chase his dream of becoming a professional rally driver. That investment paid off in Sweden, where he and co-driver Daniel Brkic delivered a composed, mature drive despite the step up in machinery.
“Of course, there were lots of new things to learn with the Rally2 car - there are a few more jobs to do compared to what I’m used to,” he explained. “I had one small moment which probably just came from carrying a bit too much speed for my current experience with the car. Apart from that, it’s been quite a clean weekend.”
Before the event I thought a top five would be a really good result - so to achieve that is pretty damn cool.
“In some ways it hasn’t been a challenge because there’s so much more performance to play with,” Gill said. “But at the same time there are a lot of set-up options, so you can go in many different directions. For me it’s mostly been about the driving - building commitment and lifting my level.”
Key to that process was drawing on experience from within the service park.
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“Teemu in particular has been really helpful,” Gill revealed, referencing fellow GR Yaris Rally2 driver and former top-tier regular Teemu Suninen. “Even between stages, if I’ve been unsure about something or how to approach a section, I’ve been able to send a message and get a bit of feedback. That’s been really valuable. It’s great to learn from guys with that experience.”
While the result in Sweden turned heads, Gill’s focus has already shifted firmly to what comes next. Like many young drivers climbing the ladder, funding remains the decisive factor.
“Now I’ve just got to go home and keep working on the sponsorship fund and try to put together some more rallies,” he admitted. “Croatia is the plan. I’ll go home, open up the Excel spreadsheet and see if we can make it happen.”
