WRC
Solberg wins Rally Chile as Toyota seals record-equalling 10th WRC title
Oliver Solberg claimed a superb Rally Chile BIOBÍO victory on Sunday as Toyota GAZOO Racing secured a sixth consecutive WRC manufacturers’ crown and a record-equalling 10th in total.
Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson completed a composed three-day performance to beat nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier by 16.6sec, with Adrien Fourmaux taking third for Hyundai 33.3sec from the lead.
The result capped another landmark weekend for Toyota. Having arrived in Chile requiring only seven points to make the manufacturers’ championship mathematically secure, the Japanese marque wrapped up the title with two rounds still remaining.
It is Toyota’s sixth successive manufacturers’ championship, extending an unbeaten run dating back to 2021, and its 10th overall. That draws Toyota level with Lancia as the most successful manufacturer in WRC title history. Lancia’s own run of six consecutive crowns from 1987 to 1992 had also stood as the benchmark for sustained domination.
Toyota’s championship story in the WRC now spans more than three decades. Its first manufacturers’ crown came in 1993, followed by titles in 1994 and 1999. After returning to the championship in 2017, it added another in 2018 before beginning its current streak in 2021.
Solberg’s victory provided an emphatic way to mark that milestone.
The 24-year-old took the lead on Friday’s opening stage and, aside from briefly surrendering it to Elfyn Evans after SS2, controlled the rally through constantly changing conditions, abrasive roads and demanding tyre management.
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It was his third WRC victory and second of 2026 following his season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo triumph, adding to the breakthrough success he achieved on his Rally1 Toyota debut in Estonia last year.
He began Sunday 19.1sec clear of Evans but immediately came under renewed pressure when the championship leader won the opening Carampangue test, cutting the gap to 13.2sec.
Solberg answered on the first pass of BIOBÍO, remarkably winning the stage despite sustaining right-rear tyre damage and extending his advantage back to 14.5sec.
Then came the moment which dramatically altered both the rally and the drivers’ championship.
Evans, running second and seemingly on course for another important podium, stopped to change a wheel on the penultimate Carampangue stage. More than two minutes disappeared and the Welshman tumbled to fifth overall.
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Ogier inherited second while Fourmaux moved into third, leaving Solberg with 13.3sec in hand heading to the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage.
There was no easing off. Solberg went fastest again by 0.5sec over Evans to seal the victory in style.
“It’s been an unbelievable weekend,” he said. “It’s been up and down, but the team always supported, always pushed, always believed.
“Finally a little bit of luck was on my side, and I could just focus on my job and do my thing. The little details matter, and this weekend was a perfect, perfect weekend.”
Ogier’s runner-up finish brought another notable landmark. It was the Frenchman’s 120th WRC podium, drawing him level with fellow nine-time champion Sébastien Loeb.
Fourmaux secured his 13th career WRC podium after another strong drive for Hyundai, while Sami Pajari inherited fourth following Evans’ delay. Pajari finished 1min 33.9sec behind Solberg after struggling to replicate the pace which had carried him to three consecutive victories in Estonia, Finland and Paraguay.
Evans salvaged fifth and responded by going second-fastest on the Wolf Power Stage, banking valuable bonus points after the disappointment of his puncture.
“Obviously we tried to be as efficiently fast as we could,” he said. “Of course it was looking pretty positive this morning, but these things happen. We keep at it.”
The incident also tightened the drivers’ title race. Evans remains on top, but Solberg’s victory has brought him to within 21 points of the championship lead, with Pajari just four points ahead.
That means October’s Rally Italia Sardegna could yet provide Evans with an opportunity to put one hand on the crow. The Welshman would need to leave the penultimate round at least 36 points clear of every rival to guarantee the title before the Saudi Arabia finale.
Behind the Rally1 battle, Yohan Rossel claimed WRC2 victory for Lancia, Robert Virves secured the WRC2 Challenger crown and Ali Türkkan was crowned 2026 FIA Junior WRC champion.
