WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2025
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2025
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25-10-20 Sesks’ Rally1 return for Saudi Arabia debut
Latvian star returns to M-Sport Ford line-up for Jeddah season finale.
Martinš Sesks will round out his 2025 FIA World Rally Championship campaign at next month’s Rally Saudi Arabia, with the WRC Promoter supporting his entry alongside SafetyCulture and M-Sport Ford World Rally Team.
The Latvian’s appearance at the all-new Middle Eastern event completes a remarkable 18-month rise from European Rally Championship contender to established Rally1 driver and comes as the WRC expands into Saudi Arabia for the first time.
WRC Promoter’s contribution has helped Sesks add the Jeddah-based season finale to his programme, continuing the collaborative effort that first assisted in bringing the 26-year-old to the sport’s top tier in 2024.
Sesks has shown glimpses of outstanding pace in his second Rally1 campaign, scoring a best 2025 result of sixth at Rally Sweden and delivering solid performances across Europe’s gravel rounds. His inclusion for the desert debut provides another opportunity to build experience and demonstrate his speed on a new type of terrain.
“I’m very grateful for the support and encouragement we’ve received from our sponsors and fans. We all believed the seventh round would go ahead, and now we’re heading to Jeddah to make the most of everything the WRC season can offer,” said Sesks. “With no opportunity for pre-event testing, we’ll need to adapt to the conditions and draw on the insights we gain from the shakedown.”
Simon Larkin, WRC Promoter’s Senior Events Director, said: “Martinš is one of the brightest young prospects in the WRC right now. His natural speed and attitude have stood out since his first Rally1 starts, and we’re proud to continue supporting his development at the top level. It’s also fitting that his next chapter comes as the championship welcomes Saudi Arabia - a new region, new challenge and another sign of the WRC’s global growth.”
Sesks and co-driver Renars Francis will drive a Ford Puma Rally1 alongside M-Sport Ford team-mates Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean when the inaugural Rally Saudi Arabia (26 - 29 November) brings the 2025 season to a close.
Adding further significance to the event, 20-time FIA Middle East Rally Champion Nasser Al-Attiyah will also join M-Sport Ford’s line-up, bringing his vast experience to the WRC’s first visit to the Kingdom.
“Martinš has impressed us this season with his pace, maturity and approach to learning the Rally1 car,” explained M-Sport Ford team principal Richard Millener. “His results in Sweden, Estonia and Finland show he has real potential on loose-surface events, and Rally Saudi Arabia will be another opportunity for him to demonstrate that.
“In Nasser, it will be great to have someone with so much experience in the team and hopefully it will bring us a little bit of an edge on this new event,” he added.
More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-10-19 Oliver Solberg bäst på asfalt också
VM-framgångarna fortsätter för Oliver Solberg (24). I Centraleuropeiska rallyt imponerade den nykrönta världsmästaren med sin första seger på asfalt i karriären.
35 dagar efter att Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson säkrade sin första VM-titel i WRC2-klassen, visade sig duon vara oslagbara även när underlaget bjöd på asfalt i Tyskland, Tjeckien och Österrike.
Innan helgens tävling ??hade Solberg vunnit nio WRC2-tävlingar på grus och tre på snö i sin karriär. På söndagen kunde 24-åringen fira att han också är bäst på asfalt.
– Jag är väldigt nöjd med den här segern – min första på asfalt. Printsport-teamet har gjort ett fantastiskt jobb, och Elliott var perfekt som vanligt, sa Oliver Solberg.
– Bilen var stabil under hela helgen. Även när vädret bjöd på sina utmaningar, gick den klockrent.
Under VM-rally-tävlingen på Gran Canaria i april körde Solberg och Edmondson sin Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 på asfalt för första gången tidigare den här säsongen. Där drabbades duon av tekniska problem.
Helgens tävling var historiskt; det första någonsin som besökte tre olika länder samma dag (fredag). Och redan före starten kunde Oliver Solberg sänka axlarna med en redan säkrad VM-titel i rally.
– Det var lite konstigt att komma hit, men Elliott och jag bestämde oss för att ha samma uppladdning inför tävlingen som vilket annat rally som helst. Vi gjorde som vanligt; förberedde oss optimalt och gjorde jobbet. Det är precis vad vi har gjort hela året. Jag är så stolt över allt vi har uppnått, sa Solberg.
Världsmästaren har startat tolv VM-tävlingar i rally den här säsongen och vunnit åtta av dem. I juli vann Solberg och Edmondson också sin första VM-tävling i rally-VM i den största klassen på Rally Estland.
Solberg var snabb med att gratulera Toyota till sin nionde VM-titel i rally för fabriksteam genom tiderna.
– Det var ett privilegium att få köra Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 i Estland. Att vinna den tävlingen i min debut med teamet är något jag aldrig kommer att glömma. Jag vill skicka ett stort grattis till alla på Toyota till detta världsmästerskap. Det är en otrolig prestation frånett otroligt team.
25-10-19 Central European glory for Rovanperä as Toyota extends WRC dominance
Victory hands Toyota landmark ninth title and sets up thrilling finale to the 2025 season.
Kalle Rovanperä kept his cool to win Central European Rally on Sunday, guiding Toyota Gazoo Racing to a fifth consecutive FIA World Rally Championship manufacturers’ crown and igniting one of the closest drivers' title battles in modern WRC history.
The Finn assumed control on Saturday when team-mate Sébastien Ogier crashed out in treacherous conditions. From there, he managed the gap with trademark composure to take victory by 43.7sec.
It marked Rovanperä’s third win of the year following triumphs in the Canary Islands and Finland, and Toyota’s ninth manufacturers’ title - surpassing Citroën’s tally of eight and leaving the Japanese marque just one behind record-holder Lancia.
“It's been great to be back on Tarmac again, and I think the pace Séb and I had was pretty fast compared to the others,” Rovanperä said. “Huge congratulations to everyone in the workshop - clearly, we are super good as a team. I'm hungry for the title now; we increased our chances, it still will not be easy, but we'll try to continue.”
Behind him, Elfyn Evans snatched second place from Ott Tänak on the Wolf Power Stage after a day-long chase. The Welshman benefitted when Tänak had a moment on SS17 (Beyond Borders 2) at the same bridge which had earlier claimed Thierry Neuville, trimming the gap to 1.1sec heading into the finale. Evans then edged ahead by 5.6sec in the closing kilometres to seal a Toyota one-two.
Ogier’s incident, which occurred when he understeered into a tree on Saturday’s Keplý stage, proved a turning point both for the rally and the drivers’ championship. The Frenchman had arrived in Passau two points ahead of Evans, but his crash now leaves the Welshman back on top of the standings with a 13-point buffer.
A maximum haul of Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage points means Ogier now sits level with Rovanperä approaching the final two rounds - part of one of the closest title fights in the WRC’s modern era.
Takamoto Katsuta capped off a promising weekend by finishing 17.5sec behind Tänak in fourth, while Adrien Fourmaux completed the top five in his i20 N Rally1 despite continued struggles with understeer. Rookie Sami Pajari impressed again in sixth - his fifth consecutive points finish.
Behind them, Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster ensured both M-Sport Ford Pumas reached the finish, McErlean equalling his best career result in seventh overall. Newly crowned WRC2 champion Oliver Solberg ended eighth in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, with Czech stars Jan Cerný and Filip Mareš rounding out the top 10.
Further down the order, Mille Johansson pulled off a sensational last-stage turnaround to become the 2025 FIA Junior WRC champion - defeating Taylor Gill by just 1.6sec after a breathtaking conclusion to the four-day fixture.
The WRC now heads east for FORUM8 Rally Japan (6 - 9 November) before making its Middle Eastern return at Rally Saudi Arabia (26 - 29 November), where the 2025 season will reach its conclusion.
RALLY CLASSIFICATION:
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2h 36m 20.1s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +43.7s
3. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +49.3s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1m 06.8s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +2m 04.6s
6. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +2m 13.9s
WRC Standings (After round 12 of 14):
1. E Evans 247pts
2. S Ogier 234pts
3. K Rovanperä 234pts
More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-10-19 Mille Johansson och Johan Grönvall Juniorvärldsmästare i rally
20-årige rallyföraren Mille Johansson från Katrineholm och kartläsaren Johan Grönvall från Arvika är Juniorvärldsmästare i rally 2025. Svenskduon säkrade VM-guldet efter en dramatisk avslutning på Central European Rally, där de vann tävlingen med 1,6 sekunders marginal – och därmed också hela mästerskapet.
Rallyt, som kördes över 18 sträckor på asfalt i Tyskland, Österrike och Tjeckien, bjöd på växlande förhållanden med både regn och sol. Efter lördagen låg Mille och Johan trea i klassen, en position som i det läget skulle ha räckt till brons i mästerskapet. Men under söndagen kom den avgörande vändningen.
På den första sträckan var svenskarna tio sekunder snabbare än sin titelrival Taylor Gill från Australien. När den turkiske ledaren Ali Türkan tvingades bryta på den näst sista sträckan gick Mille och Johan upp som tvåa, bara 7,0 sekunder bakom Gill inför den 26 kilometer långa avslutningen. Där levererade svenskarna när det gällde som mest – 8,6 sekunder snabbare än Gill, seger i rallyt med 1,6 sekunder och därmed världsmästare i Junior WRC.
– Det har varit en tuff helg och vi har gjort några misstag. Men allt avgjordes på sista sträckan, där vi verkligen gav allt. En enorm lättnad, och det kommer nog ta lite tid att smälta, säger Mille Johansson direkt efter målgång.
Totalt vann Mille och Johan sju sträckor under rallyt och avslutade därmed säsongen på absolut bästa sätt. Under året har de visat imponerande fart på alla underlag – från snö och is i Rally Sweden till de utmanande grusvägarna i Portugal, Grekland och Finland – och säkrat flest sträcksegrar av alla i mästerskapet.
I och med VM-titeln vinner dom fyra tävlingar i WRC2 2026, den näst högsta klassen i VM, tillsammans med M-Sport Ford, med bil, däck och service inkluderat. Teamets fortsatta planer för nästa säsong kommer dock att presenteras vid ett senare tillfälle.
En tävling återstår under säsongen, finalen i Italienska grusmästerskapet i november.
Länkar:
Resultat
Tabeller JWRC
25-10-18 Drama in Central Europe as Rovanperä leads after Ogier crash
Drama in Central Europe as Rovanperä leads after Ogier crash
Toyota team-mate’s exit reshapes title battle as Finn heads into the final day with 36.3sec lead
Kalle Rovanperä leads Central European Rally by 36.3sec after a dramatic Saturday in which Toyota team-mate Sébastien Ogier crashed out of contention, reshaping both the event and the FIA World Rally Championship title battle.
Rovanperä began the day just 0.6sec behind Ogier but seized the initiative immediately, moving into the lead on the opening Made in FRG test. One stage later, Ogier’s hopes of victory and a crucial haul of points ended abruptly when he ran wide on a damp, leaf-covered section of asphalt on the rain-affected Keplý stage.
The Frenchman’s GR Yaris Rally1 struck a tree in a 10G impact that destroyed the front-left corner of the car. Both he and co-driver Vincent Landais were unhurt and are expected to restart to the 10 points available from Sunday’s four-stage finale.
The incident - eerily similar to the crash that ended Ogier’s rally here 12 months ago - left Rovanperä clear at the top, while also altering the championship arithmetic. With Ogier out, team-mate Elfyn Evans is provisionally poised to seize the drivers’ championship lead, though Rovanperä also remains firmly in contention.
“It’s been a good day,” said Rovanperä. “The afternoon was trickier feeling-wise, but everything is going well. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day - the fight is going to be really tight.”
Hyundai’s Ott Tänak emerged as Rovanperä’s nearest challenger, vaulting past Evans into second overall after topping the repeat of Keplý and continuing to close the gap through the afternoon despite reporting “a strange transmission noise.” He ended the day 36.3sec behind the leader.
Evans, meanwhile, struggled to match the i20 N Rally1 driver’s pace on the drier roads but kept his composure to complete the day third, 8.4sec adrift.
“We were missing a bit of speed this afternoon,” Evans said. “We’ll try again tomorrow.”
Takamoto Katsuta shone in fourth, claiming two stage wins at Klatovy and ending the penultimate leg within 13.6sec of colleague Evans. His performance helped Toyota tighten its hold on the manufacturers’ championship, which it looks increasingly likely to seal on Sunday.
Adrien Fourmaux maintained fifth in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 after a clean and consistent day, with Sami Pajari continuing to impress in sixth. After a trouble-ridden Friday, seventh-placed Thierry Neuville salvaged late encouragement by winning the final stage in darkness.
“It’s still tricky in the bumpy sections, but I have a better feeling now on the smoother roads,” said the Belgian.
M-Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean survived a collision with a chicane to place eighth overnight as Rally2 runners Oliver Solberg and Jan Cerny rounded out the top 10. Cerny inherited the WRC2 category lead when long-time pacesetter Alejandro Cachón stopped with rear suspension damage on SS14.
Standings after Saturday (SS14 /18):
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 1h 56m 14.7s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +36.3s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +44.7s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +58.3s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +1m 37.8s
6. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1m 59.0s
More information can be found at www.wrc.com. s
25-10-18 Ogier and Rovanperä locked in fierce fight at Central European Rally
Frenchman holds 0.6s advantage as Toyota trio lead the way in cross-border battle on Friday.
Sébastien Ogier clung to a narrow 0.6sec advantage over Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanperä after a demanding first full day of Central European Rally.
The eight-time world champion led from the outset, his experience proving decisive over the day’s six stages spanning almost 100km across three countries and varying road conditions.
Despite seeing his advantage trimmed slightly on the repeated afternoon loop, Ogier ended Friday on top as Toyota Gazoo Racing tightened its grip on both the rally and the manufacturers’ title.
“It’s been more challenging than normal opening the road on Tarmac,” said Ogier. “Only SS5 was good for us, others were cleaning with the dust. It’s not much, small things - but we’re playing with small things. It’s been a good day for us.”
Rovanperä, who topped two afternoon stages at Col de Jan and Böhmerwald, appeared more at ease on the cleaner, faster Austrian and German asphalt than in the dirtier Czech sections.
“When it’s clean and proper Tarmac driving I enjoy it so much,” he smiled earlier in the day. “In the dark it was difficult with so many anti-cuts reflecting the light, but the gap is quite good.”
Elfyn Evans, marking co-driver Scott Martin’s 200th WRC start, rounded out the all-GR Yaris podium. The Welshman topped the final 10.86km Granit und Wald test under full darkness, trimming his gap to the leaders to 29.5sec and reclaiming ground after being handed a five-second penalty on Thursday evening for hitting a haybale chicane.
Ott Tänak held fourth in his Hyundai i20 N, 3.3sec behind Evans, while Takamoto Katsuta sat just 2.9sec further back in fifth. Toyota now occupies four of the top five positions and can clinch the manufacturers’ championship this weekend if Hyundai fails to outscore it by six points.
Adrien Fourmaux was sixth for Hyundai, his afternoon highlighted by second-fastest time for SS7 after struggling earlier with balance in his i20 N Rally1. The Korean marque’s day of mixed fortunes continued as Thierry Neuville battled a flapping bonnet, understeer, and a heavy landing that caused a rear-right puncture during the morning loop.
“It’s not fun and not what I was expecting,” said the defending champion, who trailed Sami Pajari in eighth overnight. “I’m struggling, I just can’t find the confidence.”
Grégoire Munster came unstuck on the same jump that caused Neuville’s tyre deflation but was forced to retire his M-Sport Ford Puma with broken rear suspension. Team-mate Josh McErlean survived unscathed apart from a bent steering arm to end ninth overall after a steep learning day.
Newly crowned WRC2 champion Oliver Solberg rounded out the top 10 in his GR Yaris Rally2, but with the Swede not eligible to score points, it was Alejandro Cachón who topped the WRC2 standings.
Saturday is the rally’s longest day with six stages totalling 103.64km in Germany and the Czech Republic.
Standings after Friday (SS8 /18):
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 1h 03m 29.8s
2. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +0.6s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +29.5s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +32.8s
5. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +35.7s
6. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +46.1s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-10-15 Mer erfarenhet på asfalt för världsmästaren Solberg
Oliver Solberg kör sitt första rally som världsmästare när den centraleuropeiska WRC-tävlingen sveper genom Tyskland, Tjeckien och Österrike denna vecka.
24-åringen säkrade sin första världsmästerskapstitel i karriären med seger i Chile för en månad sedan. Världsmästaren i näst högsta nivå (WRC2) har denna säsongen startat elva WRC-tävlingar i rally och vunnit sju av dem.
Även om tre tävlingar återstår för flera tävlande, har Solberg och kartläsare Elliott Edmondson samlat så många WRC2-poäng att mästerskapet är avgjort.
I juli vann Oliver Solberg sensationellt sin första VM-tävling i den största klassen. I Rally Estland vann han WRC1 på första försöket i Toyotas toppbil.
Årets centraleuropeiska rally blir historiskt eftersom det är den första WRC-tävling någonsin som besöker tre länder samma dag: Tyskland, Tjeckien och Österrike.
– Tiden sedan VM-segern i Chile har varit väldigt trevlig, och vi har delat upplevelsen med teamet på Printsport, partners, vänner, familj och naturligtvis Toyota, som har byggt den här fantastiska bilen. Men nu är det back to business, säger Oliver Solberg.
– Vägarna och vädret varierar en hel del från dag till dag och från land till land. Det är en stor del av utmaningen med det här rallyt.
Målet med tävlingen är att få mer erfarenhet av asfaltunderlaget.
– Jag deltog inte i den första upplagan av det här rallyt, och jag har missat flera andra asfaltsrundor de senaste åren. Nu är målet att ta reda på mer om bilen och dess kapacitet på asfalt, vad vi kan göra med inställningarna och generellt hur vi kan köra snabbare, säger Oliver Solberg.
Centraleuropeiska rallyt är baserat i Passau, Tyskland och startar med två specialsträckor runt Bad Griesbach på torsdag. Fredag ??kommer bilarna att korsa gränserna till både Tjeckien och Österrike.
Totalt omfattar VM-rallyt 306 kilometer och 18 specialsträckor fram till söndag eftermiddag.
25-10-15 Ogier and Evans resume duel as Central Europe offers Toyota first title shot
Manufacturers’ title hangs in the balance on high-speed asphalt showdown across Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.
Toyota Gazoo Racing can seal the WRC manufacturers’ crown at Central European Rally (16 – 19 October) as Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans resume their two-point drivers’ title fight on asphalt.
Toyota holds a 125-point lead over Hyundai and will clinch a fifth straight manufacturers' title in Passau if it avoids being outscored by more than five points. Hyundai’s hopes rest on Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, with Ott Tänak no longer nominated for manufacturer points as the squad prioritises his personal championship bid.
Ogier arrives in Germany just two points clear of team-mate Evans after claiming his fifth victory of the year in Chile - his 66th career WRC win and a perfect 35-point haul that turned a five-point deficit into a slender lead. Opening the road is generally a disadvantage on gravel, but on Central Europe’s autumnal asphalt roads it is expected to tilt conditions slightly in the Frenchman’s favour.
The 41-year-old, targeting a record-tying ninth world title, has never finished off the podium in 2025 and knows another top-step result would further tighten his grip heading to Japan and Saudi Arabia.
"I expect everyone will be giving their best, and I know that our competitors can be strong on asphalt, so it’s very much game on and I’m looking forward to an intense battle," Ogier said.
Evans, meanwhile, is still seeking a maiden world title after four career runner-up finishes and knows that with two of the final three rounds on asphalt, the next fortnight could be decisive in toppling the eight-time champion. Kalle Rovanperä, third in the standings and 21 points adrift, will also be eyeing a strong result to keep his own hopes alive, while Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari complete a five-strong GR Yaris Rally1 entry.
For Hyundai, Central Europe is about damage limitation in the manufacturers’ race but also an opportunity for defending champion Neuville to strike back on asphalt. The Belgian, winner of the event’s inaugural edition in 2023, sits fifth in the standings on 166 points and has shown flashes of form despite a tough year for the team.
Tänak’s i20 N Rally1 will not fight for manufacturers’ championship points - a strategic move by Hyundai to free him from engine-allocation restrictions after his Chile retirement. The Estonian’s title hopes were all but extinguished by that failure, yet he remains a potential threat for rally wins over the final three rounds.
M-Sport Ford fields a pair of Puma Rally1s for Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean - the former returning to the event on which he scored a career-best result in 2024.
Central European Rally’s cross-border itinerary again mixes narrow Austrian farm roads, bumpy Czech lanes and fast, wide German asphalt, often in unpredictable weather where rain, fog and temperature swings can make tyre choice a lottery.
The event begins on Thursday afternoon with the ceremonial start in Passau followed by three days of high-speed action totalling more than 300km across 18 special stages.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-10-13 Calle Carlberg kör VM-deltävlingen Central European Rally som avslutning på året!
Europamästaren från Jönköping avslutar säsongen och fabrikssitsen tillsammans med Opel med att göra VM-debut med nya FIA homologerade Opel Mokka GSE Rally. Världens första FIA homologerade elrallybil. Calle kommer att köra bakom WRC fältet. Vägarna, som ofta blir leriga, kommer att vara en stor utmaning och enligt Carlberg är det en perfekt tävling att testa bilen på.
"Det ska bli jättekul. Vi körde tävlingen senast 2023 då vi vann ADAC Opel Electric Rally cup. Med det höstregn som hänger över Europa så här års så blir sträckorna sjukt svårkörda efter WRC fältet. De genar så extremt mycket och drar ut skit och lera på vägen. Därför tycker jag att det ska bli ett perfekt test av nya bilen. Bilen har testats många vändor nere i Frankfurt, men att köra den på en testbana och ett riktigt rally är stor skillnad. Därför kommer vi prova lite gränser och se till att vi hittar de svaga punkterna på bilen innan den ska debutera som ny cupbil 2026."
Central European Rally är inte bara en viktig tävling för Calle, men markerar också en viktig del av Opels motorsportsatsning. Då 4 av sträckorna går på Tysk mark och tävlingen har sin bas i Tyska Passau, betyder det att evenemanget är mycket viktig för Opel och deras marknadsföringsstrategi.
"Såklart förstår jag att denna tävling är extra viktig för Opel. Sedan man förlorade VM-rallyt nere i Saarland, nästan hemmaplan för Opel, så är detta så nära de kan komma sin hemmamarknad. Att då få vara en del av att visa upp denna nya spännande bil på Tysk mark i en VM-deltävling är en ära. Opel har länge satsat på motorsport och när man numera fokuserar på att sälja elbilar måste såklart motorsportsatsningarna hänga med. Såklart förstår jag att många "petrolheads" där hemma hellre ser en bensinmotor, men vi måste komma ihåg att anledningen till att vi kan genomföra vår fossilsatsning i EM detta året endast beror på vad vi gör med elbilsrallyt. Marknadsavdelningen, med Rebecca Reinermann i spets, är de som gjort mina två år med Opel möjliga och det känns grymt att få vara en del av deras projekt med nya elbilssatsningar."
Carlberg är precis hemkommen från EM-finalen i Kroatien där han under året lyckats säkra både Junior-EM titeln, men också EM-titeln för 2-hjulsdrivna bilar. Att direkt vara på plats på en VM-deltävling är inte bara en kul grej, utan också strategiskt från Carlbergs sida.
"Ja men det är klart att det också finns en baktanke med detta. Vi försöker slå två flugor i en smäll och smida medans järnet är varmt. Alla VM-teamen är på plats och jag har flera möten bokade. Samtidigt ska vi ha väldigt kul och avsluta säsongen med en rolig upplevelse."
I kartläsarstolen har Calle återigen med sig sin reserv Co-driver, pappa Torbjörn. Paret har under året vunnit tävlingar i USA och Kannada och då ordinarie codriver Jörgen fick sin andra dotter kunde Torbjörn också vara en del av EM-säsongen i Tjeckiska deltävlingen.
25-10-13 Mille Johansson går för VM-guld i Junior WRC-finalen
Efter en stark säsong med flest sträcksegrar av alla i mästerskapet är 20-årige rallyföraren Mille Johansson från Katrineholm redo för årets största utmaning – finalen i Junior-VM. Tillsammans med kartläsaren Johan Grönvall från Arvika ligger dom tvåa i mästerskapet inför Central European Rally, bara 14 poäng från ledningen.
– Vi ser det som fullt möjligt att kunna vinna mästerskapet. Eftersom sista tävlingen ger dubbla poäng får vinnaren 50 poäng och tvåan 34 poäng, säger Mille Johansson.
Tävlingen är den första asfaltstävlingen i Junior-VM för säsongen, och avgörs den 16–19 oktober över 18 specialsträckor i Tyskland, Österrike och Tjeckien. Starten sker på torsdagen med två kvällssträckor, innan tre hela tävlingsdagar väntar på snabbt och tekniskt krävande asfaltsträckor – ofta med stora växlingar i väder och grepp. Samtliga ekipage kör identiska fyrhjulsdrivna Ford Fiesta Rally3 från M-Sport Poland på Hankook-däck.
Mille och Johan har under säsongen tagit flera pallplaceringar, vunnit flest sträckor i mästerskapet och visat sin förmåga på både snö och grus. Under hösten har de dessutom laddat upp med tävlingar i både EM och Italienska mästerskapet för att förbereda sig på asfalt inför finalen.
– Vi har åkt två tävlingar på asfalt nu precis veckorna innan och senast i Kroatien var nog ganska lik CER, med alla cuts och hur mycket smuts som kommer vara på vägen. Vi har helt klart visat att vi är snabbast. Nu måste vi vinna för att kunna knyta ihop säcken på det sättet som vi vill, säger Mille.
– Chanserna ser fortfarande goda ut. Samtliga i JVM kör ju för dubbla poäng, så det finns mycket att köra om. Det är nästan bara seger som gäller för alla den här helgen, säger Johan Grönvall.
Central European Rally är årets femte och sista deltävling i Junior WRC. Fyra av fem resultat räknas i mästerskapet, medan sträcksegrar alltid ger extra poäng och inte räknas bort. Vinnaren av Junior WRC får en säsong i WRC2 2026 tillsammans med M-Sport Poland
Länkar:
Tidsplan
Startlista
Resultat
Tabeller JWRC
25-09-15 Chile triumph propels Ogier to WRC lead
Frenchman boosts bid for ninth world title by defeating Elfyn Evans on Sunday.
Sébastien Ogier clinched his fifth win of the season and surged into the FIA World Rally Championship lead with a commanding performance at Rally Chile Bio Bío.
The eight-time world champion completed a remarkable weekend by beating title rival and Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Elfyn Evans by 11sec with co-driver Vincent Landais alongside. Evans had begun Sunday’s four-stage finale just 6.3sec adrift in an identical GR Yaris Rally1 car.
Ogier’s triumph - his second in as many rounds - also cemented Toyota’s status as the most successful manufacturer in WRC history with 103 wins. It moves him two points clear of Evans in the drivers’ standings with just three rounds remaining and, crucially, means Ogier will open the road at next month’s Central European Rally, a strategic benefit on sealed-surface stages.
Much like his victory in Paraguay, Ogier’s weekend in Chile began with a tough Friday. He dropped as low as fifth before rebounding on Saturday, aided by set-up changes and damp conditions that shifted the dynamics. A masterful final leg left Evans with no answer, as Ogier collected maximum Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage points.
“It is like we wanted,” Ogier said. “It has been a more difficult weekend than Paraguay. We had to fight a bit more, we had a little issue in the mornings as I was not awake but we can be pleased with the way we ended up.
“I’m happy with that and I’m looking forward to switching to tarmac.”
The Frenchman also referenced the historic significance of his victory, Toyota’s 103rd: “Now we are number one - a record for Toyota more than deserved.”
Toyota’s 10th win of the season also pushed the Japanese marque 125 points clear of Hyundai Motorsport, edging it closer to a fifth consecutive manufacturers’ title. Adrien Fourmaux led at the end of day one and ultimately finished third - Hyundai’s top performer - ending the rally 35.5sec behind Evans to secure his third podium of the year.
Defending champion Thierry Neuville followed 12.5sec further back in his similar i20 N Rally1 but expressed frustration that his driving efforts weren’t being reflected in the stage times. Team-mate Ott Tänak, who retired from the lead with engine failure on Friday, restarted but could only salvage one point he continued to experience issues with his replacement power unit.
“It is very frustrating, but it is the same for the whole team,” Neuville admitted. “But it keeps on going which makes it even worse. I’m happy with my driving and that is the only thing we can do at the moment.”
Kalle Rovanperä arrived in Chile second in the standings but dropped to third after finishing sixth overall, his weekend hampered by a tyre debeading after hitting a bank on day one. The Finn now trails Ogier by 21 points.
Takamoto Katsuta and Grégoire Munster completed the top eight, while ninth-placed Oliver Solberg became the first title winner of the season. He held off Nikolay Gryazin to seal the WRC2 crown alongside co-driver Elliott Edmondson.
The WRC returns to Europe next month for the Central European Rally (16 - 19 October), the 12th round of the season. Based in Passau, the event will take crews across asphalt stages spanning Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2h 55m 42.1s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +11s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +46.5s
4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +59s
5. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1m 03.4s
6. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1m 53.7s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 11 of 14):
1. S Ogier 224pts
2. E Evans 222pts
3. K Rovanperä 203pts
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-09-14 Oliver Solberg är världsmästare i rally
Sådan fader, sådan son. Oliver Solberg (23) följer sin pappa Petters fotspår och säkrade sin första VM-titel i rally i helgen.
På söndagen firade Oliver och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson VM-titeln i den näst högsta nivån i rally-VM efter de säkrat segern i Rally Chile i säsongens sista av sju kvalificeringstävlingar. Även om det är tre tävlingar kvar av säsongen för flera tävlande, har duon samlat på sig så många VM-poäng att mästerskapet är avgjort.
21 år, tio månader och fem dagar har gått sedan pappa Petter Solberg (50) blev världsmästare i rally. Oliver var drygt två år ung vid den
tidpunkten. VM-triumfen i rally markerar en tidig start på Olivers 24-årsdag, som är nio dagar bort.
- Det här har varit min dröm så länge jag kan minnas. Vi var så nära förra året, men det slutade i besvikelse. Jag sa i början av året att vi ville ha titeln den här säsongen, och jag är väldigt stolt över hur vi har gjort det. Att vinna fem tävlingar på sju starter är något speciellt att uppleva, sa Oliver Solberg.
Inför tävlingen i Chile var matematiken kristallklar: Seger och Solberg skulle säkra VM-titeln. Och Oliver tog snabbt kontroll över tävlingen, tog ledningen, utökade den och behöll den ända till slutet. Mer än 40 sekunder skilde honom från hans närmaste rival.
Säsongen har varit av överlägsen sort för 23-åringen. På elva körda tävlingar har det blivit sju segrar – inklusive hans första i värstingklassen i rally-VM. I Rally Estland i juli chockade Oliver Solberg motorsportvärlden med seger på första försöket i Toyotas toppbil.
Oliver har vunnit WRC2-tävlingarna i Sverige, Portugal, Italien,
Grekland, Paraguay och Chile.
– Jag tycker att vi förtjänar den här titeln. Rally Chile var tufft. Vi nfick tänka mycket på strategin med däcken. Jag måste tacka Toyota, hela Printsport-teamet, Elliott, alla hemma, hela min familj och min fästmö Chloe. Stödet de har gett mig har varit enormt.
– Året har varit helt fantastiskt. Att vinna Rally Estland i Rally1-bilen och nu detta. Jag är ärligt talat lite mållös. Det kommer att ta ett tag för det här att sjunka in.
VM-trofén är den fjärde i familjens troféskåp hemma i Sverige. Pappa Petter vann också två VM-guld i rallycross 2014 och 2015.
– Jag är väldigt stolt över att ta hem en ny titel. Det är fortfarande en bit kvar innan jag kan tävla med pappa, men ikväll ska vi definitivt fira som världsmästare, sa Oliver.
Tidigare har Pontus Tidemand (2017) vunnit WRC2-mästerskapet i rally.
25-09-14 Saturday turnaround puts Ogier in Chile command
Frenchman overhauls Elfyn Evans to hold slender lead going into final day.
Sébastien Ogier ended Rally Chile Bio Bío's penultimate leg with a 6.3sec lead over Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans after a remarkable Saturday that saw dramatic swings in fortune for the frontrunners.
The eight-time champion completed a stunning comeback from his Friday struggles to take control on his 200th FIA World Rally Championship start, winning all three of the afternoon’s stages to overhaul championship leader Evans and position himself for a crucial victory.
Ogier, who is currently nine points adrift of Evans in his bid for a ninth world title, admitted to being "way too cautious" on the day’s opening stage but capitalised perfectly on changing conditions and tyre management to emerge as the day's dominant force.
“It sounds good, but it is going to be intense until the end,” reflected Ogier after extending his lead on the day's final stage. "Tomorrow morning I need to be awake, not like every first stage for the last two days."
Evans was leading at the midday service break after a strong morning loop in wet conditions, but found himself under increasing pressure as Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 partner Ogier found his rhythm on the drying afternoon stages. The Welshman dropped 5.3sec on the day's final test alone but remains firmly in contention heading into Sunday's four-stage finale.
Adrien Fourmaux started the day at the top of the leaderboard but ended it in third overall and 26.8sec adrift of Ogier. The Frenchman reported that he was struggling for traction and acknowledged his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 was “lacking something” in the conditions. Thierry Neuville sat fourth in his similar car, a further 14.9sec back
“It is quite frustrating for us. The positive is we are on the podium for tonight, but we want more,” Fourmaux said.
Sami Pajari held fifth in his Toyota, while championship contender Kalle Rovanperä languished in sixth, over 1min 20sec behind the leader. The defending Chile winner endured a torrid afternoon as first-on-the-road duties proved costly on the cleaning stages.
Takamoto Katsuta recovered to seventh position after spinning while attempting to catch Grégoire Munster, who dropped to eighth following a puncture that forced him to complete the final stage on worn-out tyres.
Oliver Solberg moved another step closer to claiming the WRC2 title after extending his lead to 30.2sec over Nikolay Gryazin, who rounded out the top 10.
Standings after Saturday (SS12 /16):
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2h 23m 13.9s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +6.3s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +26.8s
4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +41.7s
5. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +50.4s
6. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1m 23.2s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-09-13 Flying Fourmaux takes surprise Friday lead in Chile
Adrien Fourmaux claimed the lead of Rally Chile Bio Bío after engine failure for colleague Ott Tänak on Friday’s final stage handed the Hyundai driver a slender 1.0sec advantage over team-mate Thierry Neuville.
The Frenchman inherited the top spot when Tänak pulled up 5.6 kilometres into the day's longest test, ending what had been a commanding performance from the Estonian - who had built an advantage of nearly 10sec after overhauling championship leader Elfyn Evans' morning advantage.
"I can only be pleased because I think it is the first time we are leading a rally at the end of the first day, so it is positive for us but it is a shame for Ott," said Fourmaux, who is chasing down his first-ever FIA World Rally Championship victory. “Tomorrow is going to be a different day, so let’s see.”
Neuville sat second in his similar i20 N Rally1 after a transformed afternoon following major set-up changes between loops. The Belgian struggled in the morning but found his rhythm as conditions dried, describing his car as “way better” despite admitting he was "still far from good.”
Sébastien Ogier delivered the day's standout individual performance with a stunning stage win on SS6, beating Neuville by 3.1sec and climbing from fifth to third overall. Making his 200th WRC start this week, the eight-time world champion was another to make midday set-up adjustments after a muted morning.
“I kept pushing all day and this morning I was already on the limit, and in this last stage I cannot do more," reflected Ogier, who trails Fourmaux by just 2.3sec heading into Saturday.
Road-opener Evans endured a torrid afternoon as cleaning conditions hit him the hardest, with the Welshman dropping from the rally lead to fifth position by the day’s end. As well as Ogier, he was overtaken by Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari on the last test and trailed the Finn by 1.9sec overnight.
“This afternoon has been a big struggle," admitted Evans after losing 14.2sec on the final stage alone. "I couldn't control the rear at all.”
Takamoto Katsuta held sixth despite struggling with his Toyota's balance, while Grégoire Munster placed seventh for M-Sport Ford after recovering from a broken gear linkage in the morning.
Kalle Rovanperä's championship hopes suffered another setback as the defending Chile winner languished in eighth, over a minute behind the leader. The two-time champion's day was ruined by a debeaded tyre after he ran wide and hit a bank in the morning, though he showed encouraging pace once conditions improved.
“Obviously I'm disappointed that it ended our good chances for today,” said Rovanperä. "Finally we had some good pace on this kind of road and that has not been the case probably ever this year.”
Oliver Solberg topped the WRC2 standings and is currently poised to clinch the championship title, with rivals Yohan Rossel and Gus Greensmith both retiring with mechanical problems. The Swede also ended the day ninth in the overall standings ahead of M-Sport Ford driver Josh McErlean, who lost over one minute after a high-speed spin on SS1.
Heavy overnight rain is expected in the vicinity of Saturday’s stages, of which there are six totalling almost 140km of competitive action.
Standings after Friday (SS6 /16):
1. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 57m 48.5s
2. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +1.0s
3. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +2.3s
4. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +11.2s
5. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +13.1s
6. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +41.0s
25-09-10 Tightest WRC fight in over two decades heads to Chile
Just nine points separate championship's top three with four rounds remaining.
The FIA World Rally Championship’s South American adventure continues this week at Rally Chile Bio Bío (11 - 14 September), where the closest title fight in over two decades enters a decisive phase.
Just nine points separate championship leader Elfyn Evans from third-placed Sébastien Ogier, with their Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Kalle Rovanperä sandwiched seven points behind Evans. Not since 2003 - when Petter Solberg secured his sole world title - has the championship arrived at round 11 with such a narrow gap between the frontrunners.
Back for its fourth WRC edition in 2025, Chile has quickly built a reputation as a driver’s rally - rewarding those who can build confidence and carry speed through blind corners and flowing cambers. The gravel roads are smooth and well-built, although reconnaissance conditions have been challenging - with heavy rain and persistent fog limiting visibility and raising doubts over pace note accuracy.
Evans has likened the stage characteristics to those of his native Wales and is hoping for wet conditions on Friday, which would lessen the handicap he faces when opening the road. Current forecasts suggest that rain showers are anticipated late on the opening day.
“If it's dry, we could face the usual challenge on Friday, but if it rains it's not so dissimilar to somewhere like Wales in terms of how muddy and slippery it can get, and then it's not so bad to be first,” he explained. “Either way, the roads are really enjoyable to drive.”
Ogier is celebrating a personal milestone, following in the footsteps of team principal Jari-Matti Latvala by becoming only the second driver in WRC history to contest 200 championship rounds.
His victory in Paraguay less than a fortnight ago - fighting back from an early puncture to claim the silverware - helped thrust the Frenchman firmly into contention for a record-equalling ninth world title. Rovanperä, meanwhile, arrives as the defending Chile winner but must recover from Paraguay's disappointment where a deflation dropped him out of the lead.
Toyota Gazoo Racing holds a commanding 100-point manufacturers' championship lead after nine victories from ten starts. The Japanese marque fields five GR Yaris Rally1 cars in total, with Evans, Rovanperä and Ogier supported by Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari.Aiming to bridge that gap are Hyundai Motorsport stars Ott Tänak, Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux. Tänak sits just 18 points behind Evans and boasts a strong Chile record, winning on two of his three previous visits to the South American forests.
“Chile is all about rallying. The roads are exceptionally cool here - they're flowing and smooth at the same time,” said the Estonian. “You have to be as efficient as possible, and that's something that comes through your driving style and car set-up.”
M-Sport Ford completes the manufacturer representation with a three-car entry. Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean are joined by local hero Alberto Heller, who returns to the wheel of a Puma Rally1 for his home event after showing promising pace in 2023.
The WRC2 championship battle also intensifies with key protagonists Oliver Solberg and Yohan Rossel forming part of the 19-strong Rally2 entry. Both drivers stand a mathematical chance of clinching the title this week, though strong results for rivals Nikolay Gryazin and Gus Greensmith could ensure the fight continues beyond this 11th round.
Based out of Concepcíon, the country’s second-largest city, Rally Chile Bio Bío begins on Thursday and includes 306.76 kilometres of competitive action across 16 special stages.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-09-10 Oliver Solberg kan sikre VM-tittelen i Chile
Rallyfører Oliver Solberg er sin egen lykkes smed. Vinner han Rally Chile denne helgen, blir 23-åringen verdensmester for første gang.
Solberg har vunnet fire av seks tellende løp på nest øverste nivå denne sesongen – senest i Paraguay den siste dagen i august. Seier i Chile vil sikre VM-tittelen i WRC2-klassen.
– Hvis vi vinner løpet, så vinner vi tittelen. For oss er det sånn. Det finnes forskjellige regnestykker for noen av rivalene våre, men dette er hovedreglene for oss, og det er det vi fokuserer på, sier Oliver Solberg.
Nesten 22 år er gått siden faren Petter Solberg (50) ble verdensmester i den største klassen i 2003. Den gang var Oliver to år og 47 dager ung.
Sesongen hittil har vært eksepsjonell for den svensknorske rallystjernen. Midt i juli vant han karrierens første VM-runde i den største klassen i Estland. Det skjedde i hans debut om bord i en fabrikkprodusert Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. Denne uken kan 2025 bli enda bedre.
– For meg er det likt som alltid: Jeg kjører mitt eget løp og gjør mine egne ting. Ingenting endrer seg på den måten. Men vi kommer neppe til å kjøre helt på grensen hele tiden. Vi bør nok ta et lite steg ned fra farten vi holdt i Paraguay.
Forrige VM-runde fant sted 2.500 kilometer nordøst for chilenske Concepción. I Paraguay var Solberg og kartleser Elliott Edmondson samtaleemnet. Duen kom bakpå fra start etter en punktering og tok deretter inn over minuttet på rivalene sine.
– Denne sporten er en laginnsats. Jeg har reflektert mye over hvor hardt alle i Printsport har jobbet med oss for å oppnå våre resultater denne sesongen. Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 er en fantastisk bil, og jeg er takknemlig for Toyota og hele teamet og alt de har gjort for å hjelpe oss.
Siden forrige VM-runde har familien Solberg reist litt sør i Sør-Amerika.
– Vi dro ned til Punta Arenas, byen lengst sør i Chile. Det var superkult, men faktisk var det iskaldt. Fortsatt er det vinter i denne delen av verden, forteller Oliver Solberg.
VM-tittel på nest øverste nivå har vært delt ut siden 2013. Både Andreas Mikkelsen (2021, 2023) og Mads Østberg (2020) har vunnet mesterskapet tidligere. Eneste svenske WRC2-mester er Pontus Tidemand (2017). I fjor måtte Solberg nøye seg med sølvet i klassen.
Rally Chile starter fredag med den første av 16 fartsprøver. Løpet inneholder til sammen 306 konkurransekilometer og avsluttes søndag.
'25-08-31 Title race intensifies as Ogier claims WRC Paraguay spoils
Frenchman rebounds from early setback to claim commanding victory on Sunday.
Sébastien Ogier claimed victory on ueno Rally del Paraguay's inaugural running to strengthen his WRC title hopes and deliver Toyota its 102nd WRC win to equal Citroën's all-time record on Sunday.
The eight-time world champion's triumph capped an extraordinary comeback week that began with him dropping almost 40 seconds to a tyre deflation on Friday but ended with both the rally victory and a surge to within nine points of championship leader Elfyn Evans.
Ogier's 18th triumph for Toyota also makes him the Japanese manufacturer's most successful driver ever – a record he previously shared with Kalle Rovanperä.
However, the Frenchman's mood was tempered by frustration with his Wolf Power Stage performance, where he encountered heavy rain while others enjoyed clearer weather.
“I think we can be very proud of the performance Vincent [Landais, co-driver] and I did this weekend. The points don’t really show it right now, that’s the only negative part, but it’s still a win and that’s the most important thing,” said Ogier, who managed only 10th-fastest on the bonus points-paying final test.
“South America has never really been [home to] my most lucky rounds. The only rally I never won was Argentina back then, and in Chile we also had some bad luck like last year. It’s good to finally be on the top step of the podium in front of an amazing atmosphere. It was a big success for the first time here,” he added.
The Wolf Power Stage provided the weekend's cruelest twist for Adrien Fourmaux, who saw a podium result slip through his fingers. The Hyundai i20 N Rally1 driver had been on course for a career-best result after running second for most of the weekend, only to drop to fourth with a disappointing eighth-fastest time when it mattered most.
Evans edged Thierry Neuville by a second to take the runner-up spot and extend his championship lead, which stood at just three points prior to this 10th round of the season. Neuville was the Power Stage hero, however, claiming the fastest time to vault onto the final podium spot and finish 1.3sec clear of disappointed Hyundai i20 N Rally1 team-mate Fourmaux.
Ott Tänak brought his Hyundai home just 2.1sec behind Fourmaux in fifth while two-time champion Kalle Rovanperä could only manage sixth after a puncture on Saturday destroyed his victory hopes. The Finn now sits level on 189 points with team-mate Ogier in the title fight.
Sami Pajari placed seventh in another Toyota while Oliver Solberg claimed WRC2 victory after a dominant weekend that saw him climb from 10th to first in the category over the course of three days. Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin filled out the remaining top 10 positions.
Toyota's 102nd victory equals Citroën's record as the most successful manufacturer in WRC history. The Japanese marque has now won nine of the season's ten completed rallies in a dominant 2025 campaign.
The WRC’s South American adventure continues in less than a fortnight when the championship visits Concepción for Rally Chile Bio Bío. The gravel fixture takes place from 11 – 14 September.
Rally Classification:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 3h 00m 06.6s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +26.2s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +27.2s
4. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +28.5s
5. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +30.6s
6. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +2m 05.2s
Drivers' Championship Standings (After round 10 of 14):
1. E Evans 198 pts
2. S Ogier 189pts
3. K Rovanperä 189 pts
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
'25-08-31 Otrolig upphämtning förde Oliver Solberg till seger
En sällsynt bedrift krävdes när Oliver Solberg kämpade sig tillbaka till toppen av prispallen i WRC2-klassen i ett dramatiskt Rally Paraguay i helgen.
Efter att ha tappat en minut och tolv sekunder på den tredje sträckan i tävlingen på grund av en punktering, utnyttjade 23-åringen de kommande 13 specialsträckorna för att återta ledningen.
När rallyt var över hade Oliver Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson en 22,5 sekunders marginal till tvåan i mål. Segern var hans elfte totalt i WRC2-klassen och hans sjätte för säsongen i World Rally Championship.
Comebacken är en av de mest häpnadsväckande i WRC2-seriens senare historia – från 10:e plats till seger.
– Jag visste att det skulle bli svårt att ta igen långt över en minut förlorad tid, men vi fortsatte att trycka på och samtidigt tog vi hand om däcken och såg till att vi inte skadade bilen eller tog för många risker, sa Oliver Solberg.
Att ta igen tid i snabba rallyn är en svår uppgift. Som tur var för Oliver kryddades tävlingen med några fler tekniska sträckor på de platta vägarna. Det var i kurvorna som årets Rally Estland-vinnare tog igen tid. Av de 15 sträcksegrarna under rallyt tog han elva i rad under upphämtningen.
– Vi har alla samma kraft och samma hastighet på raksträckorna, men det fungerade. På söndagen var vi lite mer på den förnuftiga sidan. Vi behövde det här resultatet. Att tappa poäng i Finland var väldigt frustrerande, och vi visste att vi var tvungna att få det här mästerskapet tillbaka på rätt spår med en seger och maximala poäng i Paraguay.
– Jag är väldigt stolt över hur vi gjorde det. Punkteringar är en del av gamet, och det är frustrerande när de kommer. Men att kämpa tillbaka som vi gjorde är riktigt coolt, sa Solberg.
Oliver Solberg vann sensationellt VM-tävlingen i Estland i värstingklassen för drygt en månad sedan i sin Toyota-debut. Målet den här säsongen för Printsport-föraren är att vinna det totala världsmästerskapet i WRC2-klassen. Solberg leder nu med elva poäng.
– Jag fick frågan hur speciell den här segern var. Den är inte bättre än segern i Estland, men den är inte långt ifrån.
Nästa VM-tävling äger rum i Chile om två veckor, om Solberg och Edmondson vinner den tävlingen så säkrar duon VM-titeln i WRC2-klassen.
25-08-31 Comeback king Ogier snatches Paraguay lead from stricken Rovanperä
Frenchman storms to the front as drama continues on Saturday.
Sébastien Ogier produced a masterful comeback to seize the ueno Rally del Paraguay lead after team-mate Kalle Rovanperä hit trouble on the penultimate stage of Saturday's action.
The eight-time world champion started the day fourth overall and 17.8sec behind overnight leader Rovanperä, but delivered a masterclass in tactical rallying to emerge with a 10.3sec advantage over Adrien Fourmaux heading into Sunday's decisive four stages.
Ogier's charge gathered momentum throughout Saturday as his tactical gamble of carrying only five tyres versus his rivals' six began to pay dividends. The weight advantage helped him win four of the day's seven stages, overtaking Fourmaux before inheriting the lead when Rovanperä struck trouble.
Rovanperä had controlled the rally since Friday evening and extended his lead through Saturday's opening half despite not feeling completely satisfied with his performance aboard his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. But a front-right puncture midway through the long Artigas stage destroyed his weekend and dropped him to sixth overall, over two minutes back from the lead.
"Of course, it's a shame to see your team-mate having a puncture, and it's not the way you want to take the lead, but it looks like every frontrunner has had trouble except Elfyn [Evans]," said Ogier.
"Since our puncture yesterday we have pushed all the time and maximised everything, so I think we can be happy with that. It's nice we managed to come back where we are now, but it's definitely not over."
Fourmaux held second overnight despite battling damper problems on the final two stages that hampered his ability to challenge Ogier's pace. The Hyundai driver was able to maintain his podium position despite “lacking control of the chassis and the grip.”
Ott Tänak delivered his own recovery drive after starting the day second overall before dropping to sixth after suffering a rear-left puncture on the morning's longest stage.
The Estonian fought back through the afternoon to claim fourth position, ending just 2.5sec behind championship leader Elfyn Evans.
Tänak’s Hyundai i20 N Rally1 colleague Thierry Neuville occupied fifth just 7.7sec behind with the Toyotas of Rovanperä and Sami Pajari in sixth and seventh.
With M-Sport Ford drivers Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster both retiring their Puma Rally1s with impact damage, WRC2 crews filled the remainder of the top 10. Robert Virves capitalised on Nikolay Gryazin’s troubles to lead the category in eighth overall ahead of Yohan Rossel and Oliver Solberg
ueno Rally del Paraguay concludes on Sunday where four stages, totalling almost 80km, make up the action.
Standings after Saturday (SS15 /19):
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2h 17m 20.5s
2. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +10.3s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +36.6s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +39.1s
5. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +46.8s
6. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +2m 21.2s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-08-27 Championship fight heads into uncharted territory as Paraguay joins WRC
The FIA World Rally Championship ventures into the unknown this week (28 - 31 August) as Paraguay becomes the 38th nation to host a world championship rally.
For the crews, ueno Rally del Paraguay represents the ultimate level playing field - unknown roads around the city of Encarnación where local knowledge counts for nothing and adaptability is everything.
The timing couldn't be more dramatic. Just three points separate championship leader Elfyn Evans from Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanperä after nine intense rounds. Evans reclaimed the lead following his runner-up finish at last month’s Secto Rally Finland, where Rovanperä claimed a dominant home victory.
"After Rally Finland we're back in the lead of the drivers' championship, but the pack is incredibly close, so we can expect a big fight until the end of the season," said Evans. "It's always a big challenge to prepare for a new rally, and especially when it's outside of Europe and we're not able to test there beforehand."
Rovanperä arrives with renewed confidence after his breakthrough Finland triumph, achieved by winning 15 of 18 stages at record-breaking average speeds.
"The result in Finland was amazing for us and for the team, and the points we got were really valuable for the championship," said Rovanperä. "Paraguay will be a new rally for everyone and we don't really know what to expect, so it's not an easy one to prepare for, but hopefully it can suit us well."
Toyota Gazoo Racing has dominated 2025 with eight wins from nine rallies. Their five-strong GR Yaris Rally1 line-up includes Evans, Rovanperä, eight-time champion Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari. Ogier sits third in the standings, just 13 points behind Evans.
Hyundai Motorsport fields defending champion Thierry Neuville, 2019 title winner Ott Tänak - also 13 points off the lead - and Adrien Fourmaux in i20 N Rally1s, while M-Sport Ford completes the manufacturer line-up with Puma Rally1s for Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean.
ueno Rally del Paraguay begins on Thursday and comprises 19 special stages totalling 333.18 kilometres before Sunday afternoon’s finish.
www.wrc.com.
25-08-27 Sydamerikansk jakt på fler WRC2-poäng
Rallyföraren Oliver Solberg får nya utmaningar i okänd terräng då jakten på VM-titeln i WRC2 fortsätter i helgen.
Paraguay gör sin debut på WRC-kalendern och blir den 38:e nationen någonsin att vara värd för en deltävling i rally-VM. Flest tävlingar i rally-VM har hållits i Finland.
– Det kommer att bli både nytt och spännande. Ingen vet egentligen vad man kan förvänta sig när det gäller vägar, väder eller förhållanden. Det är coolt. Jag ser verkligen fram emot det, säger Oliver Solberg.
Den sydamerikanska tävlingsdebutanten har säkrat ett flerårigt kontrakt för att vara värd för en deltävling i rally-VM. Tävlingens bas ligger i Encarnación, precis vid landets södra gräns mot Argentina.
– Att åka till Sydamerika är alltid speciellt. Motorsport ligger liksom i blodet i den delen av världen. Alla känner till historierna om hur människor vallfärdas för att titta på tävlingarna i Argentina. Jag är säker på att Paraguay kommer att matcha det.
Paraguays president, Santiago Peña, var närvarande i Finland under den senaste WRC-deltävlingen.
– Han var en riktigt cool kille med en stor passion för rally och för att föra sporten till sitt land. Precis vad vi behöver i WRC, säger Solberg.
23-åringen leder fortfarande WRC2-VM-serien, men bara tre poäng skiljer honom från hans närmaste utmanare. Målet är att köra den Printsport-drivna Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 för att ta så många VM-poäng som möjligt i kampen om titeln.
– Vi tävlar om poäng – och förhoppningsvis seger. Målet ändras inte. Det är därför vi deltar i varje deltävling. Finland levererade inte det vi
ville, så vi måste köra hårt och snabbt för att ta så många poäng som möjligt till WRC2-titeln.
Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson anlände till Paraguay i god tid för att få en testdag inför tävlingen. Deltävlingen består av 333 tävlingskilometer, fördelat på 19 sträckor med snabba grusvägar.
Efter Rally Paraguay får duon en dryg veckas paus innan serien vänder sydväst på kontinenten för Rally Chile den 11-14 september.
25-08-04 Mille Johansson fortsatt tvåa i Junior-VM efter utmanande tävling i Finland
20-årige Mille Johansson och kartläsaren Johan Grönvall fortsätter kampen om guldet i Junior WRC. I helgens deltävling i Finland visade de återigen hög fart och tog flest sträcksegrar – men tvingades nöja sig med sjätte plats efter tekniska bekymmer och två punkteringar. Med en tävling kvar ligger de nu tvåa i VM-tabellen, 14 poäng bakom ledande Taylor Gill.
Mille och Johan inledde rallyt starkt med ledning efter sju sträckor, men tappade tid efter en punktering på SS8 och föll till fjärde plats. Lördagen började på nytt med en sträckseger, men regn och problem med vindrutetorkarna gjorde det svårt att hålla tempot. Ytterligare en punktering på eftermiddagen satte stopp för chanserna att klättra.
– Det var ytterligare en tuff tävling för oss. Vi gick ut hårt och ledde tävlingen fram till SS8 där vi slog punktering och tappade ner till fjärde plats. Vägarna var bitvis i riktigt dåligt skick vilket vi inte förväntade oss när vi kom hit. På lördagen började vi bra med sträckseger direkt, sedan kom regnet och våra vindrutetorkare gick inte på maximal fart så där tappade vi mycket tid också. I försöket att ta tillbaka så mycket tid som möjligt så slog vi punktering igen. Där var chanserna över för ett bra resultat, säger Mille Johansson.
I mål blev det en sjätteplats, men med sju sträcksegrar – flest av alla – bevisade Mille och Johan återigen att de har farten som krävs för att slåss om segern. Junior WRC avslutas 16–19 oktober med Central European Rally på asfalt, där dubbla poäng står på spel.
Innan dess väntar fortsatt tävlande i italienska grusmästerskapet och i EM, där Mille och Johan representerar det italienska teamet MS Munaretto i en Skoda Fabia Rally2.
Länkar:
Resultat
Tabeller JWRC
25-08-03 Oliver Solberg är fortfarande med i titelstriden efter Rally Finland
Rallyföraren Oliver Solberg är fortfarande mitt uppe i kampen om årets WRC2-titel – trots att planen på en topplacering uteblev i helgens Rally Finland.
Den finska deltävlingen i WRC avslutades i Jyväskylä på söndagseftermiddagen med en dubbelseger för Toyota-kollegorna Roope Korhonen och Jari-Matti Latvala i WRC2-klassen. Svensken anlände till Finland som WRC-vinnare i värsting klassen. Oliver Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson debuterade i WRC1-klassen med Toyota Gazoo Racing och dominerade den baltiska deltävlingen.
Segern var Oliver Solbergs största karriärframgång hittils.
I Finland återvände Solberg till sin Printsport-drivna Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 för att fortsätta kampen om WRC2-titeln. Han jagade sin fjärde raka klasseger i WRC2 för att stärka sin ledning i toppen av den totala ställningen.
Men förhoppningen om finsk framgång grusades när duon oundvikligen träffade en sten i en kurva och kastades ner i diket på Saarikas-sträckan på fredagseftermiddagen.
– Förändringen från Estland till Finland var ganska stor. Att vinna i Tartu med fabriksteamet Toyota Gazoo Racing var som en dröm som gick i uppfyllelse för både mig och Elliott, säger Oliver Solberg
– Att köra Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 var det bästa ögonblicket i mitt liv. Jag älskar Yaris Rally2, men det blir inte riktigt detsamma. Finland är ett rally jag verkligen gillar och vi har vunnit här de senaste två åren, så jag hoppades verkligen på ett liknande resultat den här gången.
Att köra på en lös sten som hade kastats ut på vägen av tidigare startande är en del av sporten och hör hemma på "oturskontot".
– Det fanns egentligen ingenting vi kunde göra. Stenen skickade bilen ur riktningen vi hamnade i diket. Det är oturligt när sådana saker händer. Sporten kan ge dig några otroliga höjdpunkter, men den kan också leda till stora besvikelser. På lördagsmorgonen förlorade vi mer tid på grund av problem med vindrutetorkarna. Det regnade kraftigt så vi såg inte alls mycket, säger Solberg.
Solberg och Edmondson leder fortfarande WRC2-mästerskapet. Men reglerna är utformade så att andra tävlande fortfarande kan passera oss i totalen.
– Som alltid med den här serien är det ganska svårt att se var alla är och var den största konkurrensen kommer ifrån. Vissa av förarna har fortfarande fler möjligheter att ta poäng.
Nästa VM-tävling äger rum i Paraguay den sista helgen i augusti.
– Det kommer att bli ett stort äventyr för oss alla. Första gången i ett nytt land är alltid väldigt spännande. Jag ser fram emot att upptäcka vägarna, människorna och naturligtvis den otroliga sydamerikanska passionen för motorsport, säger Oliver Solberg.
25-08-02 Rovanperä tops Toyota sweep as lightning strikes twice for Hyundai in Finland
Finn takes 36.1sec lead into final day after Neuville and Fourmaux face heartbreak on Saturday.
Kalle Rovanperä stands on the verge of a historic home victory after leading Toyota Gazoo Racing to a 1-2-3-4-5 sweep at Secto Rally Finland on Saturday.
The Finn completed the rally's penultimate leg with a commanding 36.1sec advantage following a dramatic afternoon that saw Hyundai's championship contenders suffer identical heartbreak. Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux both tumbled from podium positions after front-right tyre deflations struck on the same stage, handing Toyota complete control of the leaderboard.
Rovanperä had earlier overcome his own deflation drama on the morning's Päijälä stage to reach midday service with a 14.7sec lead over Neuville, with Fourmaux just three-tenths further back. But lightning struck twice for Hyundai when both drivers suffered identical failures on the afternoon's repeated run through Västilä, plummeting to sixth and seventh respectively.
Victory on Sunday would deliver Rovanperä's maiden home triumph, though the 24-year-old knows the job isn't finished. He and co-driver Jonne Halttunen rolled from the lead on the penultimate stage here last season and must safely navigate two passes of the daunting Ouninpohja test before claiming the silverware.
“It's quite a big day for the team,” Rovanperä said. “I just tried to keep a good pace. Obviously there was no need to take any crazy risks but I still wanted to go fast so that I have the feeling for tomorrow morning, because I have the feeling we need to go quite fast tomorrow. It's going to be a big day.”
Takamoto Katsuta inherited second place from the Hyundai misfortune and stands to celebrate his best result since February's Rally Sweden. However, the Japanese driver faces pressure from eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, who sits just 6.8sec behind in third. Ogier himself holds only a 1.5sec cushion over team-mate Elfyn Evans, with Sami Pajari completing Toyota's remarkable top-five lockout.
Evans is poised to reclaim the championship lead with current points leader Ott Tänak languishing outside the top ten. A five-minute penalty after an incident involving a scrutineer on Friday has left the Hyundai-driving Estonian targeting only Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage points.
Neuville and Fourmaux now find themselves in damage limitation mode, sitting more than a minute behind Pajari with 24.0sec separating the frustrated Hyundai pair.
“Tomorrow we are going to try and take some points, but obviously any good result and any hope for the championship is basically gone,” Neuville reflected. “We needed a good result here, and we won’t get any.”
M-Sport Ford's Martinš Sesks endured his own drama when rain-induced windscreen fogging forced a two-minute roadside stop on SS15. The delay dropped the Latvian to 10th behind Puma Rally1 team-mates Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster.
Sunday's finale centres around the legendary Ouninpohja stage, which opens and closes the action. The famous Kakaristo area will host the final day's activities, including the rally arena, regroup and podium celebrations.
Standings after Saturday (SS18/20):
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 2h 1m 28.8s
2. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +36.1s
3. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +42.9s
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +44.4s
5. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +59.2s
6. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 54.7s
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-08-01 Rovanperä flies to Finland lead on Friday
Finn impresses at home to lead on gravel for the first time in 2025.
Kalle Rovanperä made a major breakthrough at Secto Rally Finland on Friday, leading a gravel round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) for the first time this season.
The Finn completed the opening day of his home event with a 4.9sec advantage over Thierry Neuville, with just 15.7sec separating the top five crews after almost 115 kilometres of action on flat-out forest roads in central Finland.
Rovanperä, who won back-to-back world titles in 2022 and 2023 but has never claimed victory at his home rally, had struggled to match the frontrunning pace on gravel this year. But the 24-year-old appears to have found his breakthrough at this ninth round, moving into the lead after the second stage and setting fastest times on four of the day's nine speed tests.
Despite his pace, Rovanperä acknowledged the challenge wasn't always comfortable in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, especially during the afternoon's second pass through more rutted stages complicated by intermittent patchy rain.
"The set-up what we have does not work in the ruts, that was scary," he told reporters after SS7. "I was all over the place. Timewise it worked, but I almost went off once."
Reflecting on his day overall, he said: "It was a nice day, but not easy by any means. I am not really in my comfort zone at the moment, but we are pushing hard. Let's see if we can get a better feeling for tomorrow.”
Neuville secured the runner-up spot despite admitting the stages weren't to his liking. "All flat-out and just taking risks – not at all what I like," said the Belgian, who ran third for much of the morning before dropping to fifth behind Adrien Fourmaux, Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari ahead of the mid-leg service.
A series of top-three times – achieved despite a cracked windscreen – lifted the Hyundai driver back to second overnight. Team-mate Fourmaux sits just 2.8sec behind in third after a consistent performance that included a joint stage win with Rovanperä on SS8.
Katsuta was just four-tenths of a second further back and celebrated his 50th WRC stage win during Friday's action. He held off Toyota colleague Pajari, who secured two fastest times of his own, by 7.6sec while Sébastien Ogier rounded out the top six just 1.9sec further adrift.
Last year's event winner Ogier felt slightly hampered by road conditions from his starting position of third. A brief stall on Saarikas 2 cost the eight-time champion valuable seconds, though he noted grip levels had improved on the second pass.
Similar road conditions affected Ogier's Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans, who ended 8.4sec behind the Frenchman in seventh. Evans lost the championship lead to Ott Tänak at the previous round but fared better than his title rival today. Tänak dropped to 10th overall after an impact with a tree on SS7 left him nursing damage for the remaining three stages.
M-Sport Ford drivers filled eighth, ninth and 11th positions, with Martinš Sesks leading the intrateam battle ahead of Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster.
Saturday is the rally's longest day with double runs through the Parkkala, Västila, Päijäla and Leustu stages, totalling over 140 kilometres.
Standings after Friday (SS10 /20):
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 56m 31.6s
2. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +04.9s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N +07.7s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +08.1s
5. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +15.7s
6. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +17.6s
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-07-31 2026 FIA World Rally Championship calendar revealed
Strategic tweaks, global reach and a stronger sporting rhythm headline WRC’s 14-round 2026 schedule.
The FIA and WRC Promoter have today unveiled the calendar for the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), confirming 14 rounds across four continents as the series continues to blend classic challenges with global reach.
The season begins at Rallye Monte-Carlo from 22 - 25 January, with crews tackling France’s icy alpine roads in one of rallying’s most iconic settings. A spectacular street stage in downtown Monte Carlo on Saturday evening adds extra drama and glamour to an already demanding weekend. It’s the start of a calendar that blends snow, gravel and asphalt events - including returning rounds in the Canary Islands and Paraguay following their introductions in 2025 - before culminating in the desert terrain of Saudi Arabia from 11 - 14 November.
Notably, the opening half of the year brings a welcome mix of surfaces. Asphalt rallies in Croatia, the Canary Islands and Japan complement the snow of Sweden and gravel outings in Kenya and Portugal, ensuring variety from the very start of the season.
Crucially, the decision to reposition Rally Japan into a May slot adds a meaningful sporting benefit. By interrupting what would otherwise be a long sequence of gravel rallies, the move helps to limit the impact of road sweeping for early championship leaders - reinforcing WRC’s commitment to fairer, more competitive conditions.
“This is a calendar built with purpose,” said WRC Promoter Managing Director Jona Siebel. “It’s diverse, it flows well, and it reflects the feedback we’ve had from teams, drivers and stakeholders. We’ve put real thought into how the sequence of events can impact the sporting fight.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: "The 2026 WRC calendar is a powerful reflection of the championship’s global strength and appeal. It combines the heritage of iconic rallies with the return of newer events in regions where participation and interest in rallying continues to grow.”
The full 2026 FIA World Rally Championship calendar is listed below:
2026 WRC Calendar
1. Rallye Monte-Carlo, 22 - 25 January
2. Rally Sweden, 12 - 15 February
3. Safari Rally Kenya, 12 - 15 March
4. Croatia Rally, 9 - 12 April
5. Rally Islas Canarias, 23 - 26 April
6. Vodafone Rally de Portugal, 7 - 10 May
7. Rally Japan, 28 - 31 May
8. EKO Acropolis Rally, 25 - 28 June
9. Rally Estonia, 16 - 19 July
10. Secto Rally Finland, 30 July - 2 August
11. Rally del Paraguay, 27 - 30 August
12. Rally Chile Bio Bío, 10 - 13 September
13. Rally Italia, 1 - 4 October
14. Rally Saudi Arabia, 11 - 14 November
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-07-30 Rallyföraren Mille Johansson jagar VM-ledning i Finland
Efter en vår fylld av intensiva tävlingar i både VM, EM och Italien är Mille Johansson och Johan Grönvall tillbaka i Junior WRC – och redo att ladda fullt i jakten på VM-guldet. Med två deltävlingar kvar ligger duon tvåa i tabellen, bara sju poäng bakom australiensaren Taylor Gill inför helgens klassiska Rally Finland.
– Jag ser det som fullt möjligt att kunna gå om ledaren i mästerskapet under helgen. Äntligen ska vi få köra en tävling där det ska avgöras på fart och inte tur som det har varit de senaste två gångerna, säger Mille Johansson.
20-årige Mille från Katrineholm och kartläsaren Johan från Arvika har haft en stark säsong så här långt, men haft otur och tappat värdefulla poäng under de tre inledande tävlingarna. I Finland väntar nu en ny typ av utmaning – med höga farter och stora krön på de ikoniska grusvägarna runt Jyväskylä.
– Det är en väldigt snabb tävling där noter och kontakten mellan förare och kartläsare spelar väldigt stor roll. Vi jobbar mycket med noterna och kommer kolla mycket video för att hitta så mycket fart som möjligt, säger Johan Grönvall.
Det är första gången Mille och Johan kör Rally Finland, men förberedelserna har varit noggranna. Inför tävlingen genomförde de ett test i en identisk Ford Fiesta Rally3, följt av rekognosering för få till perfekta noter på de snabba vägarna och många krönen.
– Att åka riktigt fort på vägarna runt Jyväskylä är väldigt svårt första gången man är här med alla krön och lyft som går i varandra hela tiden. Men testerna kändes bra och nu går vi ut stenhårt och kör för seger, säger Mille.
Rallyt startar på torsdag med shakedown och stadssträckan Harju i Jyväskylä, innan 18 ytterligare sträckor körs fredag till söndag. Tävlingen avslutas med dubbla vändor på legendariska Ouninpohja – en av världens mest mytomspunna rallyvägar.
I startfältet i Junior WRC återfinns tio förare från nio länder, samtliga i identiska Ford Fiesta Rally3 från M-Sport Poland med Hankook-däck. Detta är den fjärde och näst sista deltävlingen för säsongen. Finalen körs i oktober på asfalt under Central European Rally.
Länkar:
Startlista
Sträckor & Tider
Resultat
Tabeller JWRC
25-07-30 Tänak carries slender championship lead into Finland's flying forests
One-point advantage sets up high-speed showdown in Jyväskylä.
The tightest WRC battle in years heads to rallying's ultimate speed test as Secto Rally Finland (31 July - 3 August) hosts round nine of the 2025 season this week.
Ott Tänak arrives in Jyväskylä with the slenderest of leads - just one point ahead of Elfyn Evans following his runner-up finish on Delfi Rally Estonia earlier this month. Finland's legendary forest roads will provide the backdrop for the next chapter of their title fight, with cars flying over jumps and crests at average speeds exceeding 120kph.
The Hyundai i20 N Rally1 star faces a crucial test on roads where he claimed victories in 2018, 2019 and 2022. As championship leader, Tänak will open the road on Friday - less of a handicap on Finland's smooth gravel than at recent rough rallies, but still a disadvantage in dry conditions.
Two-time Finland winner Evans benefits from improved road position with his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. After leading the standings following early-season wins in Sweden and Kenya, the Welshman now runs second on the road - an advantage on any gravel rally.
Twenty-one points back, Sébastien Ogier returns after skipping Estonia with renewed championship ambitions in his GR Yaris Rally1. The eight-time world champion has been dominant on selected outings this season, with victories in Monte-Carlo, Portugal and Sardinia making him a wildcard in the title race.
For Kalle Rovanperä, sitting fourth, Finland represents both opportunity and pressure. The two-time world champion seeks the victory that has eluded him on home soil, driving his Toyota just kilometres from where he learned his craft.
"We've had good chances to win there with good pace in the last two years and didn't quite manage to do it," said Rovanperä, who crashed while leading on the penultimate stage in 2024. "We continue to work hard with the team to improve upon the pace that we've had on gravel so far this year."
Toyota Gazoo Racing leads the manufacturers' championship and enjoys a unique home advantage - their headquarters sit just across the Jyväsjärvi lake from the service park. The Japanese manufacturer fields a full five-strong line-up with Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari also entered in GR Yaris Rally1s.
Hyundai Motorsport will seek to capitalise on Tänak's recent form with a three-car i20 N Rally1 assault alongside defending champion Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux. M-Sport Ford fields Grégoire Munster, Josh McErlean and Martinš Sesks in Puma Rally1 machinery.
Secto Rally Finland covers 307 kilometres across 20 special stages of smooth gravel punctuated by dramatic jumps that send cars airborne. Double runs of the legendary Ouninpohja stage make up Sunday's spectacular finale.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-07-30 Solberg hoppas att segersviten fortsätter i Finland
Bara elva dagar efter att ha säkrat sin första WRC-seger i värstingklassen i Rally Estland, återvänder Oliver Solberg till jakten på mer WRC2-framgångar i Finland.
I sin tävlingsdebut med Toyota Gazoo Racing dominerade 23-åringen tävlingen i Estland och säkrade Toyotas 100:e WRC-seger någonsin.
När äventyret fortsätter i Finland denna vecka är Solberg tillbaka i sin Toyota GR Yaris Rally2-bil för att fortsätta sin jakt på WRC2-titeln.
Med tre segrar på fyra starter hittills den här säsongen leder Oliver Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson WRC2-mästerskapet. I Rally Finland har duon slutat som den snabbaste Rally2-bilen de senaste två åren. Förra året slutade de på en fantastisk femteplats totalt, och året innan det slutade de sexa.
- Finland är ett rally som alla älskar. Tävlingen är så stor och ikoniskt. Hela staden Jyväskylä tas över av rallyt. Och naturligtvis är de höga hastigheterna en extrem del av tävlingen, säger Oliver Solberg.
Rally Finland är den snabbaste tävlingen på WRC-kalendern med en genomsnittshastigheten på 134 km/h för totalvinnaren av 2022 års upplaga.
– Inget går upp mot att ”flyga” rallybilen genom skogen. Vi har haft bra tider här de senaste två åren, och vi vill fortsätta på det sättet. Vi gjorde en bra test förra veckan, där allt fungerade bra. Teamet har varit fantastiskt i år. Vi har en så bra rytm med den här bilen.
– Som alltid kommer kampen att bli tuff i Finland. Det finns många väldigt starka team i Rally2, och vi måste vara redo att möta dem. Och naturligtvis ser vi många väldigt snabba lokala förare komma. Det är något som inte har förändrats under åren.
Solberg och Edmondson har ägnat lite tid åt att bearbeta vad duon lyckades med i Estland.
– Vi är så tacksamma mot alla som gjorde det möjligt. Det var otroligt, men nu väntar nya uppgifter. Vi ser fram emot kampen för att hålla Toyota i toppen av WRC2. Det vore ett otroligt resultat för GR Yaris Rally2 att vinna två WRC2-titlar i rad under sina två första år. Det är vad vi siktar på, säger Solberg.
Rally Finland består av 20 specialsträckor på totalt 307 kilometer. Det börjar med den berömda Harju-sträckan på torsdag kväll, och tävlingen avslutas med den än mer berömda Ouninpohja-sträckan som körs två gånger på söndag.
25-07-20 Oliver Solberg blev tredje yngste WRC-vinnaren någonsin
Oliver Solberg vann sensationellt Rally Estland på söndagen som den tredje yngste WRC-vinnaren någonsin i rally. 23-åringen vann i sin 13:e start i värstingklassen i karriären.
Solberg och kartläsaren Edmondson tog ledningen på den andra sträckan med sin Toyota GR Yaris Rally1-bil och höll sedan undan enda till slutet.
– Ord kan inte beskriva mina känslor just nu. Men jag har definitivt ord för Elliott, som har varit helt fantastisk. Vi har gjort den här resan tillsammans. Vi har väntat på det här ögonblicket tillsammans, och nu vinner vi tillsammans, sa Oliver Solberg.
– Och jag vill tacka alla i teamet. De gjorde vår dröm till verklighet. Resan från 2022 till idag har varit lång, och den har inte varit lätt de senaste åren. Men sedan jag startade i Toyota har allt varit så bra som det bara kan bli. Det här är den bästa bilen jag någonsin har kört, och teamet är helt fantastiskt. Jag älskar det här.
Toyotaföraren var snabbast på nio av tävlingens 20 specialsträckor och vann med 25,2 sekunder före hemmafavoriten Ott Tänak. Den regerande världsmästaren Thierry Neuville blev trea, 48,3 sekunder bakom.
– Under själva rallyt var Elliott och jag bara i vår egen bubbla. Vi gjorde vår egen grej och körde vårt eget race. Känslan var att allt var bra och fungerade bra i bilen, men jag hade ingen aningen vart vi skulle hamna tidsmässigt. När vi vann den första sträckan på fredagen var det så speciellt, men sedan var vi tvungna att fokusera om och om igen. Vi fortsatte bara att göra det vi var där för att göra, och sedan vann vi, beskrev Oliver.
– Känslorna kom när vi korsade mållinjen och jag såg hela min familj och min flickvän. De har varit vid min sida och stöttat mig hela vägen. Det var otroligt. Det är den bästa dagen i mitt liv. Jag vann en deltävling i rally-VM.
Den yngste vinnaren av en deltävling i rally-VM någonsin är finländaren Kalle Rovanperä. Han vann också sin första tävling i WRC1-klassen i Estland. Han gjorde det vid 20 år, nio månader och 16 dagars ålder 2021. Det var finländarens 14:e start i rally-VM i WRC1-klassen.
Den näst yngsta vinnaren av en deltävling i rally-VM var den då 22-år och två månader gamle finländaren Jari-Matti Latvala 2008.
Oliver Solberg var 23 år, nio månader och 27 dagar ung på söndagen. Pappa Petter Solberg vann sin första deltävling i rally-VM i Wales 2002, dagen före sin 28-årsdag.
Oliver Solberg är den åttonde svenske vinnaren av en deltävling i rally-VM någonsin. Endast tre norrmän har lyckats vinna en rally-VM-deltävling i rallyts största klass: pappa Petter Solberg (13 segrar), Andreas Mikkelsen (3) och Mads Østberg (1).
Den senaste svenska rally-VM-segern kom fyra år innan Oliver Solberg föddes. Kenneth Eriksson tog Sveriges 31:a rally-VM-seger i rallyt i Nya Zeeland 1997.
Svenskar med rally-VM-segrar genom tiderna är Stig Blomqvist och Björn Waldegård (9 var), Kenneth Eriksson (6), Ingvar Carlsson, Mikael Ericsson och Mats Jonsson (2 var) samt Anders Kulläng (1).
Oliver Solberg leder världsmästerskapet i WRC2-klassen efter fyra segrar på sju tävlingar hittills den här säsongen – inklusive de tre senaste i rad. Hans bästa topplacering före helgens sensationella seger var en fjärdeplats i Rally Belgien för nästan tre år sedan.
25-07-19 Solberg edges closer to historic Delfi Rally Estonia victory
Swede extends lead on Saturday to move within touching distance of debut Toyota win.
Oliver Solberg stands on the brink of a landmark FIA World Rally Championship triumph after extending his advantage during Saturday’s blisteringly fast penultimate leg at Delfi Rally Estonia.
The 23-year-old Swede, making a one-off appearance in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 alongside his regular WRC2 campaign, will carry a 21.1sec lead into Sunday’s three-stage finale. Victory would see him join an exclusive group of drivers to win on debut with a new team at rallying’s top level.
Solberg has led since Friday morning and added a further four stage wins on Saturday, calmly increasing his margin from 12.4sec over the course of 125 competitive kilometres.
Overnight changes to the set-up of his GR Yaris gave him renewed confidence and he duly posted fastest times on three of the morning’s four tests. In the afternoon, his approach shifted to risk management on stages around Otepää and Kanepi - backing off slightly but losing minimal ground to the chasing pack.
"It's been an absolutely amazing day," said Solberg, whose father Petter was the 2003 world champion. "Really consistent speed, no mistakes, just trying to keep it clean. It wasn't the plan to extend the gap, but hey, it's fantastic.
"I'm just doing my thing and trying to do every stage as good as I can and as clean as I can with no mistakes, and today there have been no mistakes. They are pushing so hard behind, and I can feel it - it's tense."
Lining up behind Solberg are no fewer than three world champions, led by 2019 title-winner Ott Tänak. The local favourite, driving a Hyundai i20 N Rally1, is locked in a fierce duel with team-mate Thierry Neuville for the runner-up spot. The pair traded positions six times throughout the day, with Tänak ending just 4.0sec ahead of the Belgian.
Tänak’s advantage could have been greater, but a costly stall after clipping a chicane bale on the opening stage saw him shed around seven seconds.
Kalle Rovanperä, three-time Delfi Rally Estonia winner and WRC champion in 2022 and 2023, ended the day in fourth. Despite pushing as hard as he felt comfortable, the Finn admitted he was struggling to match the leaders’ pace.
“That’s the harsh truth - the speed is what it is,” he said. “We tried to be fast, but it's not close. I'm pushing all the time, no mistakes.”
Rovanperä did manage to edge further ahead of Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, who climbed to fifth after overhauling Takamoto Katsuta early on Saturday. Fourmaux ended 8.6sec ahead of the Japanese driver, who in the afternoon reported “something weird with the car”. Katsuta now holds sixth, just 13.6sec clear of his championship-leading team-mate Elfyn Evans - the Welshman rounding out a steady day in seventh.
Sami Pajari continued to hold a solitary eighth place in his Toyota, comfortably clear of the M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1s of Martinš Sesks and Josh McErlean, who completed the top 10.
Sunday’s finale features just over 60 kilometres of competition, kicking off with Hellenurme before two passes of Kääriku. The second run hosts the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage where bonus championship points will be on offer.
Standings after Saturday (SS17/20):
1. O Solberg / E Edmondson SWE Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2h 08m 05.4s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +21.1s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +25.1s
4. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +51.6s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +1m 08.2s
6. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1m 16.8s
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-07-18 Solberg steals the spotlight on sensational Rally1 return
Swede stuns the WRC regulars to lead Delfi Rally Estonia on Friday.
Oliver Solberg announced his return to the FIA World Rally Championship’s headline category in eye-catching fashion on Friday, storming to a lead of 12.4sec at Delfi Rally Estonia.
Driving a GR Yaris Rally1 on what is currently a one-off outing for Toyota Gazoo Racing, Swedish youngster Solberg stunned the field by romping to three fastest times on lightning-fast gravel roads in southern Estonia and led for the first full day’s entirety.
The 23-year-old, who is co-driven by Britain’s Elliott Edmondson, collected his first-ever WRC stage win on the first test through Peipsiääre before backing it up on the repeated pass to reach the mid-leg service halt 8.5sec clear of 2019 WRC champion Ott Tänak.
Set-up changes between loops helped Solberg unlock more traction in the afternoon, allowing him to extend his margin over home hero Tänak - who had earlier taken two stage wins of his own.
“To be leading the rally and to have won a few stages, and to have this amazing feeling in the car, you know - this day has been all about fun,” Solberg grinned. “I don't know what to say - It's just been the best day of my life.”
Tänak - victorious last time out in Greece - was roared on by thousands of fans but couldn’t quite find the flow needed to trouble Solberg’s pace.
"It's just so loose and [there's] no grip whatsoever," he said. "I did everything I could, it is as it is at the moment."
Thierry Neuville was third, just 1.8sec behind team-mate Tänak. The Belgian led after Thursday night’s super special but admitted he was still “fighting” with his Hyundai i20 N Rally1’s balance and grip throughout the day.
Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä, a three-time winner in Estonia, found himself 5.9sec back from Neuville in fourth. “It’s pretty much the maximum we can do with this car and the current feeling,” the Finn reflected.
Adrien Fourmaux endured a muted morning on his first high-speed gravel rally in Hyundai colours but bounced back to win Kambja 2 after set-up tweaks improved his car’s stability. He ended the leg fifth overall, two-tenths of a second ahead of Takamoto Katsuta - who lost time in the morning with an overshoot and intercom issues.
Elfyn Evans, first on the road as championship leader, struggled for traction and languished in eighth - ahead of Toyota colleague Sami Pajari, whose morning was hampered by intermittent power loss.
Martinš Sesks and Josh McErlean rounded out the top 10 in M-Sport Ford Pumas, split by 18.6sec. Grégoire Munster was 11th after a difficult day that included brake issues, a tyre deflation and an overshoot.
Saturday is the rally’s longest leg, with over 125 kilometres of competitive distance across nine stages - including two blasts through the high-speed Kanepi and Raanitsa tests.
Standings after Friday (SS8 /20):
1. O Solberg / E Edmondson SWE Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 1h 06m 33.4s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +12.4s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +14.2s
4. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +20.1s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +29.8s
6. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +30.0s
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-07-16 Flat-out fight resumes as WRC hits top speed in Estonia
Tänak ready to turn up the heat at home as Rovanperä looks to reset.
Flat-out gravel roads, blind crests and thousands of passionate fans await as the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) blasts back into high-speed territory at Delfi Rally Estonia (17 - 20 July).
After a string of rough and technical events - from the ruts of Sardinia to the heat of Greece - Estonia marks the beginning of a flat-out European summer. It’s the first time this season crews will face true high-speed gravel, with average speeds topping 120kph.
Few know these roads better than Kalle Rovanperä and Ott Tänak - and both arrive with a point to prove.
For Rovanperä, this is a proven hunting ground. The two-time world champion scored his maiden WRC win here in 2021 - becoming the youngest-ever winner of a WRC round in the process - and has since added two more Estonia victories to his tally. But, after slipping to fourth in the standings following a retirement in Greece, the Toyota star needs to bounce back fast.
“It’s cool to be going back to Rally Estonia this year,” said Rovanperä. “It’s where I took my first win in the WRC and we’ve had some good success since then also, so I have good memories of this event. I really enjoy driving on the fast and flowing roads and they suit my style well, so I’m excited.”
Tänak, meanwhile, heads to his home round riding high after taking victory on last month’s EKO Acropolis Rally Greece. The Hyundai driver topped eight of the 17 stages to claim his first win in over eight months - and now returns to familiar territory full of confidence and backed by the roar of home support.
A win here would mark Tänak’s first on home soil since 2020 - and could prove pivotal in his quest to overhaul the Toyota duo ahead of him in the standings. Just 12 points cover the top three, with Elfyn Evans leading from Sébastien Ogier - absent this week - and Tänak.
Estonia’s profile could hardly be more different to the rocky tests of recent weeks. The rally is defined by its mix of fast and flowing yet equally technical gravel tracks, where average speeds soar and commitment is everything
Tänak is joined by Hyundai colleagues Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, while Rovanperä’s GR Yaris Rally1 squad also fields cars for Evans, Takamoto Katsuta, Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg.
Solberg, the son of 2003 world champion Petter, makes a highly anticipated return to the top tier this week. Currently leading the WRC2 standings, the Swede is stepping up to a Rally1 car for the first time since 2022 as part of a one-off drive with Toyota Gazoo Racing.
M-Sport Ford’s Puma Rally1 entries include Grégoire Munster, Josh McErlean and Martinš Sesks – the Latvian a stage winner on the similarly fast stages of his neighbouring home round last year.
Delfi Rally Estonia begins with Thursday evening’s Visit Estonia Tartu vald stage and comprises 20 competitive tests totalling more than 300km before Sunday afternoon’s finish.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-07-15 Drömmen går i uppfyllelse för Oliver Solberg i Estland
En vecka efter att Oliver Solberg fick testa världsmästarbilen för första gången kommer unge Solberg att mäta sin styrka mot världseliten i rally.
Testen av Toyotas GR Yaris Rally1-bilen ägde rum i Finland förra veckan. Denna vecka får han ett startnummer på dörrarna och debuterar med Toyota Gazoo Racing i värstingklassen i världsmästerskapet i Rally Estland.
- Det här är drömmen - det vi har jobbat så länge och hårt för. Det största ögonblicket i mitt liv. Att vara i Finland och köra GR Yaris Rally1 för första gången var bara supercoolt. Bilen är otrolig. Jag fick en riktigt bra känsla på testen och kände mig ganska bekväm direkt, sa Oliver Solberg.
Den här säsongen har Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson kört Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Duon leder WRC2-klassen efter halva säsongen.
- Jag älskar den bilen. Den är fantastisk. Men Rally1 är som en annan värld. Man får så mycket mer grepp från aerodynamiken. Motorn är också helt annorlunda med fyra – istället för tre – cylindrar. Den ger så mycket kraft, vridmoment och respons. Jag kunde ha fortsatt testa hur länge som helst.
Tartu i Estland har varit duons lyckoplats hittills. Startplatsen är en Solberg-favorit då han har vunnit i WRC2-klassen här två gånger tidigare.
– Det är ett fantastiskt och coolt rally. Väldigt svårt, ja, och ganska tekniskt. Vägarna kan vara ganska spåriga, men det är också supersnabbt. Och sedan är det bara fantastiskt att få möjlighet att ha lite kul med stora hopp och höga hastigheter, säger Solberg.
Målen för rallyt är främst att genomföra tävlingen och få så mycket erfarenhet av bilen som möjligt.
– Jag vet att jag kommer bli mer bekväm med bilen under rallyts gång. Det var ett tag (två år och nio månader) sedan jag körde en Rally1-bil senast, så jag vill ta det steg för steg, bygga upp tempot och återfå mitt självförtroende på den här nivån.
Rally Estland är en av de snabbaste deltävlingarna i rally-VM. Förarna tävlar genom 20 specialsträckor och 308 tävlingskilometer på grus. Tävlingen börjar med den publikvänliga Tartu vald-sträckan på torsdag kväll.
25-07-03 Oliver Solberg får köra värstingklassen
Efter att ha vunnit de tre senaste tävlingarna och tagit över ledningen i den näst högsta klassen i World Rally Championship, kommer Oliver Solberg (23) att flyttas upp till värsting klassen i Rally Estland om två veckor.
Solberg kommer att köra en Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 med Toyota Gazoo Racing i Estland. World Rally Championship-deltävlingen kommer att hållas mellan 17 till 20 juli.
Som förberedelse inför sin Toyota GR-debut kommer Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson att testa den VM-ledande Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 för första gången nästa vecka.
– Det är en dröm som går i uppfyllelse. Jag vill tacka alla på Toyota och Toyota Gazoo Racing för denna möjligheten. Och ett stort tack till Printsport för hur de fick mig att känna mig så bekväm med GR Yaris Rally2 från säsongsstarten, säger Oliver Solberg.
FIA har också visat stort stöd i samband med registreringen.
Solberg och Edmondson har imponerat stort i den Printsport-byggda Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 bilen. Duon är obesegrade i den näst högsta klassen i de tre sista deltävlingarna i rally-VM. Efter sin triumf i förra veckans Akropolisrally i Grekland tog de över ledningen i WRC2-mästerskapet.
Segrarsviten – och sättet tävlingarna har genomförts på – har utan tvekan bidragit till att öppna dörren till Toyotas toppteam.
– Vi har försökt vara snabba och stabila i år, och det har fungerat bra. Vi har haft några bra resultat och till och med slagit några Rally1-bilar. Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 i Estland låter otrolig. Det här är drömmen vi har hoppats på och arbetat mot. Nu när den är här kan vi inte vänta tills vi står på startlinjen, säger Solberg.
– Jag har sett mycket video av bilen och den ser grym, stabil och förutsägbar ut. Jag ser verkligen fram emot att arbeta med teamet, ingenjörerna och alla för att förstå så mycket som möjligt innan starten i Estland.
Testen kommer att vara väldigt viktig för att kunna lära sig hur bilen fungerar. Även om båda är GR Yaris, är Rally 1 väldigt annorlunda mot Rally 2. En av de största skillnaderna kommer att vara aerodynamiken. Solberg kommer att behöva lite tid för att vänja sig vid det.
– Målet för Rally Estland kommer att vara att avsluta med ett leende på läpparna. Det hade varit kul att få några bra tider, men prioriteten här är erfarenhet och tiden i bilen.
Solberg har mycket bra erfarenhet från rally i Estland. Han vann sin första VM-deltävling ??(WRC3) i Estland 2020.
– Nu handlar det bara om att göra så mycket research som möjligt. Tiden är ganska begränsad innan starten, så Elliott och jag kommer att arbeta med noterna, titta på data och prata med teamet så mycket vi bara kan.
Rally Estland är den åttonde deltävlingen i årets rally-VM och startar från Tartu torsdagen den 17 juli. Tävlingen består av totalt 20 specialsträckor på 308 tävlingskilometer över snabba grusvägar i södra delen av landet.
25-07-01 Mille Johansson VM-tvåa efter tufft rally i Grekland – nu väntar EM i Italien
Trots ett tufft VM-rally i Grekland den gångna helgen med tekniska problem kunde 20-årige Mille Johansson från Katrineholm och kartläsaren Johan Grönvall från Arvika kliva i mål som sexa i säsongens tredje deltävling i Junior-VM. Med fyra sträcksegrar och fortsatt stark fart håller de sig kvar i toppen av VM-tabellen – nu på andra plats, sju poäng bakom ledande Taylor Gill från Australien.
– Jag tycker att vi skötte oss bra i Grekland och körde helt enligt plan med att vara före Taylor och ändå väldigt säkert för att minimera risken för problem. Vi hade bra hugg på ledningen och kände att vi kunde ha kört ikapp tiden, men blev hindrade av damm på en sträcka och fick sedan tekniska problem. Det är bara att ladda om för en full attack i Finland, säger Mille.
– Vi gjorde vad vi kunde men lite punkteringar och problem med kylningen förstörde möjligheten till ett riktigt topplopp. Nu gäller det att komma tillbaka starka och sikta på seger i Finland, fyller Johan i.
För Mille och Johan väntar ingen semester, utan de reser direct från Grekland till Italien för den fjärde deltävlingen i Rally-EM i huvudstaden Rom. Duon kör som tidigare för MS Munaretto på Hankook-däck i EM-seriens högsta klass, men ställer denna gång upp i en Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo.
Efter en imponerande EM-debut på asfalt i Spanien i april, där Mille och Johan blev sjua, finns viktiga lärdomar att bygga vidare på.
– Vi lärde oss massor i Spanien där vi körde vår första tävling i Rally2 på asfalt. Vi försöker bygga vidare på det nu till helgen och komma in i körningen och däcken på ett bra sätt. Det kommer bli en tuff tävling för både däck och besättning, säger Mille.
– Det kommer bli varmt igen, så vi får se hur både vi, bilen och däcken klarar det. Men vi tar med oss känslan från Spanien och bygger vidare, säger Johan.
Tävlingen i Rom inleds på fredag med shakedown och en publiksträcka mitt i centrala Rom vid Colosseum. Därefter väntar sex sträckor på både lördag och söndag – totalt 13 stycken. Startfältet är starkt, med 46 Rally2-bilar anmälda då tävlingen också ingår i det italienska mästerskapet.
– Det är en utmaning att köra två tävlingar så tätt, men vi ska göra allt vi kan för att få till en bra helg. Målet är framför allt att ta oss i mål och samla mer erfarenhet, avslutar Johan.
Länkar:
Resultat Grekland
Tabeller Junior WRC
Tidsplan ERC Italien
Startlista ERC Italien
Tabeller ERC
25-06-29 Oliver Solberg leder WRC2
Efter en helt överlägsen seger i Rally Akropolis, tog Oliver Solberg (23) över WRC2-ledningen i den näst största klassen under söndagen.
Oliver vann nio av tävlingens 17 specialsträckor, inklusive sex av de sju första. Därmed hade Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson byggt upp en och en halv minuts ledning, som de kontrollerade fram till segern på söndagen.
WRC-segern var Oliver Solbergs elfte i hans WRC2-karriär hittills.
Framgången tar duon tillbaka till toppen av WRC2-mästerskapet efter tre segrar på fyra starter. 23-åringen kan också fira tre framgångar i rad med triumfer på Sardinien och Portugal, allt under de senaste 42 dagarna.
- En helt perfekt helg. Vi hör så mycket om den här tävlingen, så man blir lite rädd av vissa av historierna från Akropolisrally där allt kan hända. Men Elliott och jag gjorde en plan, och vi höll oss till den. Vi pressade på där det var säkert och förnuftigt, och vi lättade lite för att ta hand om däcken och bilen där det var nödvändigt. Jag är väldigt stolt över den här segern och hur vi hanterade tävlingen, däcken och strategin, sa Oliver Solberg.
– Mitt team förtjänar ett stort tack. Toyota och Printsport satte upp den perfekta bilen för det perfekta rallyt. Detsamma gäller Elliott. Man kan lugnt säga att det här har varit en varm helg. Han levererade perfekt även med mycket höga temperaturer i bilen ibland.
Solberg hade bara startat tävlingen i Grekland två gånger tidigare – utan att fullfölja någon av dem.
– Jag kom hit utan så mycket erfarenhet och kände att jag egentligen inte hade kört Akropolis ordentligt. Nu har vi korrigerat det. Vi genomförde ett felfritt rally.
– Pricken över i:et måste vara mästerskapsledning igen. Allt känns bra och fungerar precis som vi vill. Jag är väldigt glad.
Solberg vann tävlingen 53,8 sekunder före britten Gus Greensmith med svenska kartläsaren Jonas Andersson. Den tidigare WRC2-ledaren Yohan Rossel från Frankrike kom trea i klassen.
25-06-29 Tänak back on top with commanding Acropolis Rally win
Hyundai star survives late scare to celebrate first victory in over eight months.
Ott Tänak overcame late drama to seal a commanding victory at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece on Sunday, reigniting his FIA World Rally Championship title challenge alongside co-driver Martin Järveoja.
The Hyundai driver had been in fine form all weekend and looked set to complete a clean final day, winning two of Sunday’s four punishing gravel stages. But a gearbox issue struck on the Wolf Power Stage, leaving Tänak to crawl to the finish.
Despite the setback, he had built enough of a margin to hang on – securing his and Hyundai’s first victory since the 2024 Central European Rally by 32.8sec with a result that also ended Toyota’s unbeaten run in 2025.
The result moves the Estonian to within just 12 points of championship leader Elfyn Evans, with Ogier sitting between the pair, two points ahead of Tänak. With his home round in Estonia followed by the ultra-fast stages of Finland next on the calendar, Tänak and Järveoja enter a pivotal stretch on familiar ground.
"I was very worried to be honest," said Tänak. "In the last stage, third gear got very noisy and I understood that this one broke. Soon, the whole gearbox got very noisy and we didn't have much confidence that we would finish the stage and get back here. It was definitely far too much stress to win a rally."
Ogier, who led early in the rally, settled for second – his fifth podium in as many starts this season. The eight-time world champion, who is set to skip the next round, bolted brand-new soft compound tyres to his GR Yaris Rally1 for the final loop and snatched the Wolf Power Stage win.
"I think we’ve had a super strong weekend,” Ogier said. “There wasn’t much we could do to Ott – he was really flying.”
Adrien Fourmaux celebrated his second podium with Hyundai in third after recovering from Saturday suspension damage. It was a much-needed result for the Frenchman, who hadn’t scored points since his fifth-place finish in the Canary Islands back in April.
Championship leader Evans took fourth place despite opening the road on Friday. A solid haul of points – including fourth in the Wolf Power Stage – helped minimise the damage to his title lead.
Thierry Neuville salvaged fifth overall after Friday punctures derailed his early podium push. A damaged shock absorber and a mysterious technical issue – which forced the Belgian to stop and restart his car in the penultimate stage – further compounded a frustrating weekend.
Grégoire Munster had been running just behind before M-Sport opted to retire his Puma Rally1 during Saturday evening service due to a technical issue – promoting WRC2 winner Oliver Solberg to sixth overall.
Solberg led home a pack of WRC2 runners, with Gus Greensmith holding off Yohan Rossel to claim second in the category and seventh overall. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Alejandro Cachón completed the top 10.
Toyota duo Kalle Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta both returned under restart rules following Saturday retirements. Rovanperä’s hopes of scoring Super Sunday points were dashed by a wheel change on SS15, while Katsuta was forced to stop and change a wheel in the Wolf Power Stage.
The WRC resumes at Delfi Rally Estonia (17 – 20 July), where high speeds and home support await Tänak as the title fight reaches a crucial phase.
Rally Classification:
1. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 4h 12m 20.1s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +32.8s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +3m 09.8s
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +3m 31.1s
5. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +8m 59.5s
6. O Solberg / E Edmondson SWE Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +10m 34.7s
Drivers' Championship Standings (After round 7 of 14):
1. E Evans 150 pts
2. S Ogier 141 pts
3. O Tänak 138 pts
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-06-28 Dominant Tänak leaves Acropolis rivals trailing
Estonian wins five stages on Saturday to establish 43.6-second lead.
Ott Tänak is on the verge of delivering Hyundai Motorsport its first victory of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season after a commanding Saturday at the scorching EKO Acropolis Rally Greece.
The Estonian began the day with a slender 3.0sec advantage but blew the field apart in searing central Greek heat, claiming five stage wins out of six to establish a 43.6sec buffer over Sébastien Ogier heading into Sunday’s four-stage finale.
With temperatures rising and roads rapidly deteriorating, Tänak kept it tidy aboard his i20 N Rally1 while others hit trouble. He’s now perfectly placed to take his first win since Central European Rally last October – and is poised to climb to second in the championship depending on how Sunday unfolds.
“It’s great for us,” Tänak said. “The stages have been really demanding. The road position helped a lot and the car was working really well.”
Behind him, Ogier focused on consistency rather than chasing stage wins. The Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 driver edged Tänak by just 0.1sec in SS10 – the only stage Tänak didn’t top – but chose not to take unnecessary risks elsewhere. “It would be nice to push,” he admitted, “but the key here is staying out of trouble.”
Trouble is exactly what befell Adrien Fourmaux. The Frenchman had held second until an impact with a rock in SS10 damaged the rear suspension of his i20 N Rally1. He dropped over a minute and later reached the end of SS11 with a tyre off the rim. Despite the drama, he clung on to third overnight, 1min 24.4sec adrift of Tänak.
Elfyn Evans remained a distant fourth after a steady but unspectacular day. The Toyota man repeatedly described the conditions as “very rough” and ended the leg over three minutes off the lead – but with championship rival Thierry Neuville behind, Sunday’s bonus-point opportunities remain critical.
Further back, the Acropolis continued to punish. Kalle Rovanperä was running mid-pack before losing his brakes and going off in SS11, while Takamoto Katsuta also went off and became beached in the same test. Both Toyota drivers retired for the day.
It was another bruising leg for Neuville. After losing time to a puncture in the morning, the Hyundai man fought back into fifth overall – though still over a minute behind Evans.
“We had the pace,” Neuville reflected. “But three punctures [this weekend] didn’t allow us to do what we can.”
Grégoire Munster completed the leg sixth despite nursing a faulty handbrake throughout the day. Oliver Solberg continued to lead WRC2 in seventh overall with a comfortable buffer over Gus Greensmith, Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Yohan Rossel.
Josh McErlean dropped to 13th after nursing a broken rear driveshaft through two morning stages and completing the afternoon with no handbrake.
Sunday features four more gruelling tests, including the iconic 23.37km Tarzan Wolf Power Stage – where crucial bonus points will be on the line.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-06-27 Tänak scorches to slender lead on red-hot Acropolis Friday
Estonian leads by a whisker as Greek heat melts the field.
Ott Tänak emerged from a punishing Friday at EKO Acropolis Rally Greece with a slender lead as soaring temperatures and savage road conditions ripped through the FIA World Rally Championship field.
The Hyundai driver survived a chaotic day of attrition to end with a 3.0sec buffer over his i20 N Rally1 team-mate Adrien Fourmaux, whose pace and poise have put the Frenchman right in the hunt for a maiden WRC win.
With ambient temperatures pushing past 40°C and cockpit heat even higher, it was one of the roughest, most attritional Acropolis days in recent memory. Thierry Neuville, who briefly led after SS3, dropped around three minutes across the remainder of the day with two punctures, while Toyota rivals Takamoto Katsuta and Kalle Rovanperä faced similar setbacks.
Tänak, typically unfazed, played the long game with a clean and consistent approach alongside co-driver Martin Järveoja. While he didn’t win a single one of the six gravel speed tests, the Estonian’s only real scare was a debeaded tyre towards the end of SS4 and the time loss was minimal.
“It was definitely a very positive day altogether,” Tänak said. “For sure, at times it was difficult to keep everything in one piece, but I think in the end we must be happy that we didn’t have any big trouble with the tyres or with the car. We are definitely happy to be here.”
Fourmaux was rapid and resilient, shrugging off a frustrating delay while stuck in Katsuta’s dust on SS2 to win three stages.
Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier lay third overnight, 16.9sec off the lead in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. The eight-time world champion started strongly and led the rally until SS5, but earlier damage limited his tyre options for the final two stages.
Behind the top three, championship leader Elfyn Evans held fourth after long day of road-opening in his Toyota, while Grégoire Munster sat a fine fifth aboard his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 – the Luxembourger openly playing the long game with a focus on staying clear of trouble.
Takamoto Katsuta was sixth and over two and a half minutes back from the lead after back-to-back punctures on the opening two stages, with Rovanperä seventh, still in the fight despite stopping to change a wheel on the penultimate stage.
Defending champion and last year’s Acropolis winner Neuville, eighth, cut a frustrated figure after a day that could - and perhaps should - have delivered more. “We were hit twice today,” he said. “We pushed, we deserved more, but it’s a lottery sometimes.”
WRC2 drivers Oliver Solberg and Kajetan Kajetanowicz rounded out the overall top 10 with Gus Greensmith 11th ahead of Josh McErlean, who also stopped to change a wheel this morning.
Martinš Sesks retired his Puma prior to the final stage with a fuel issue, joining Toyota’s Sami Pajari - who was forced out earlier with a fluid leak - on the list of Rally1 casualties. Both are expected to restart for Saturday’s six-stage leg, which includes over 120km against the clock.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-06-25 VM-ledande Mille Johansson redo för stentuffa Junior-VM-deltävlingen i Grekland
20-årige rallyföraren Mille Johansson från Katrineholm och kartläsaren Johan Grönvall från Arvika är redo för säsongens tredje deltävling i Junior-VM i rally (JWRC) – och det i en av kalenderns absolut tuffaste utmaningar. I helgen körs klassiska Acropolis Rally i Grekland, med 17 specialsträckor på dammiga, steniga och extremt krävande vägar.
Efter två deltävlingar – i Rally Sweden och Portugal – delar Mille och Johan ledningen i Junior WRC med australiensaren Taylor Gill. Det svenska ekipaget har haft problem i båda tävlingarna, men tagit flest sträcksegrar av samtliga och har därmed skaffat sig ett starkt utgångsläge inför andra halvan av mästerskapet.
– Som jag ser det så är det mellan mig och Taylor Gill som mästerskapet står emellan. Vår strategi är att vara före honom, vare sig det handlar om en första- eller femteplats. Vi har haft stolpe ut i de två första deltävlingarna men lyckas ändå dela mästerskapsledningen, vilket håller hoppet uppe om att kunna vinna serien, säger Mille Johansson.
– Jag tänker inte så mycket på mästerskapet. Det är långt kvar, så det gäller att hålla huvudet kallt och ha fullt fokus från start till mål som vanligt, fyller Johan Grönvall i.
Tävlingen i Grekland inleds med shakedown och en kort publiksträcka på torsdag kväll. Därefter väntar sex sträckor på både fredag och lördag, innan rallyt avslutas med fyra sträckor på söndagen. Totalt deltar nio ekipage i Junior-VM-klassen, där alla tävlar i identiska Ford Fiesta Rally3 från M-Sport Poland.
– Det är en av de tuffaste tävlingarna på VM-kalendern varje år, med extrem hetta och väldigt steniga vägar. Klarar man sig utan punktering och tekniska bekymmer så kan man i princip glida i mål som segrare, säger Mille.
– Jag tror det gäller att ta det lugnt och inte köra för hårt. Det kommer gå hårt åt både bilar och däck, så det handlar mycket om att överleva, säger Johan.
Mille och Johan gör sin första start i Grekland, och har under veckan genomfört rekognoseringen av sträckorna i mycket höga temperaturer. Målet är tydligt: att ta bilen i mål och maximera poängutdelningen i mästerskapet.
– Vi vill främst ta oss i mål i en så extrem tävling som den här för att säkra poäng. Men självklart vill vi lämna Grekland med en ledning i VM, avslutar Mille.
Nästa tävling för Mille och Johan blir redan helgen därpå, när EM-deltävlingen Rally di Roma Capitale körs i Italien 4–6 juli.
Länkar:
Startlista
Tidsplan
Resultat
Tabeller
25-06-09 Oliver Solberg klättrar till seger på Sardinien
Oliver Solberg avancerade från 21:a till första plats i Rally Italia Sardinia. Rallyföraren säkrade sin tionde seger i WRC2 under söndagen.
23-åringen vann nio av 16 sträckor i sin Toyota GR Yaris Rally2-bil från Printsport och vann med nästan två och en halv minut. Men några maximala VM-poäng blev det inte denna tävlingen. Då endast sju av de 14 tävlingarna räknas in i VM-sammanfattningen i WRC2-klassen, och Sardinien var inte en av de 7 som är nominerade.
– Kanske borde vi ha nominerat det här rallyt till WRC2-poäng trots allt, sa Oliver med ett leende vid mållinjen.
De sex bästa poängen från de sju nominerade tävlingarna kommer att avgöra kampen om World Rally Championship-titeln. Oliver Solberg har vunnit både i Sverige och Portugal tidigare under säsongen, men i Kenya fick han nöja sig med femteplatsen efter mekaniska problem.
– Jag hade bara varit här två gånger tidigare, och utan så mycket erfarenhet tyckte vi att det var vettigt att inte ta poängen och fokusera på att lära sig mer om den här tävlingen. Det verkade rimligt på förhand, men nu känns det lite synd, förklarade han.
Solberg var nöjd med sin egen prestation på Medelhavsön – trots att han hade otur och förlorade nästan en minut i en incident första dagen. VM-deltävlingen beskrivs som en av de tuffaste på många år.
– Vi fick en liten träff i en vägg i fredags, men efter det gick allt riktigt bra. Elliott (Edmondson, kartläsare) och hela teamet har varit fantastiska, och detsamma gäller bilen.
– Det var en fantastisk helg. Vägarna var riktigt tuffa, men det var verkligen intressant att jobba med de nya Hankook-däcken och skapa en bra strategi för att ta sig igenom tävlingen med blandningen av hårda och mjuka gummiblandningar. Temperaturerna har varit höga, vi har jobbat hårt både i och utanför bilen – men det har varit jättekul.
Pappa Petter Solberg vann rallyt på Sardinien för 21 år sedan (2004), vilket var första gången VM-rallyt kördes.
Nästa VM-rally kommer att äga rum i Grekland under den sista veckan i juni.
25-06-08 Déjà vu in Sardinia as Ogier and Tänak set up Sunday shootout
Rivals split by 11.1sec as Mediterranean event continues to dish out punishment on Saturday.
Sébastien Ogier retained his grip on Rally Italia Sardegna with one eye on redemption as the searing Mediterranean event continued to dish out punishment on Saturday.
Twelve months ago, Ogier saw a near-certain victory here ripped away by a final-stage puncture that handed Ott Tänak the win by just 0.2sec – the joint closest finish in FIA World Rally Championship history. This time, he’ll take an 11.1sec advantage over the Hyundai driver into Sunday’s four-stage finale, which totals 77.78 competitive kilometres.
What began for Ogier as a 2.1sec buffer over Adrien Fourmaux turned into a 11.1sec lead over Tänak by day’s end after another punishing loop of rocky roads on the island tested the resilience of the Rally1 crews – and saw Friday’s second-placed man Fourmaux roll out in the penultimate stage.
Ogier was consistently on the pace across Saturday’s sun-scorched six stages, winning three in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 and maintaining a strong rhythm despite a moment of frustration on SS8, when dust from a recovering Fourmaux – who had just stopped to change a wheel – cost him time.
The eight-time champion was handed a corrected time for that test and ended the day satisfied.
"It's been a long day,” Ogier reflected. “The afternoon was rough. But I’m happy so far — I think I’ve managed the rally well up to this point."
Behind him, Tänak mounted a fightback of his own. The Estonian dropped time with a slow puncture on SS9 but responded with stage wins on both passes of Lerno–Su Filigosu in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1.
Behind the top two, Kalle Rovanperä quietly worked his way into third overall. The two-time world champion had started the day fifth but climbed steadily as others faltered, capitalising on issues for both Fourmaux and Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari. He sits 55.5sec back from the lead.
Pajari had enjoyed another assured showing before running wide on SS9 and clouting the rear of his Yaris. The damage was cosmetic, but the Finn also lost time with a wheel change later in the day, slipping to fifth behind championship leader Elfyn Evans – who made gains after a muted Friday but also lost a chunk of time on SS11 when he too stopped to change a wheel.
The attrition up ahead meant that Nikolay Gryazin, driving a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, slotted into sixth overall ahead of Takamoto Katsuta, who was another to carry out a wheel change – adding further frustration to an already trying week.
Oliver Solberg was eighth, but it was Emil Lindholm who was the highest-placed driver registered to score WRC2 points in ninth. The Finn finished the day ahead of Lauri Joona, who rounded out the top 10.
Sunday’s finale features four stages and includes a brand-new Wolf Power Stage along the Olbia coastline.
Standings after Saturday (SS12 /16):
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 2h 32m 38.9s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +11.1s
3. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +55.5s
4. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +4m 33.3s
5. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +4m 56.3s
6. N Gryazin / K Aleksandrov BGR Škoda Fabia RS +5m 59.6s
25-06-07 Ogier leads as brutal Friday decimates Sardinia field
Rally Italia Sardegna takes no prisoners on drama-filled opening leg.
Sébastien Ogier held a slender overnight lead at Rally Italia Sardegna after a punishing Friday leg carved through the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) field.
The eight-time world champion vaulted from third to first overall on the final stage of the day, overhauling Hyundai pair Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux to end the leg 2.9sec clear in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.
Ogier had opened the rally with a stage win but dropped as low as fourth by mid-afternoon, battling low grip levels from his third position in the road order. Crucially, though, he stayed out of trouble on Sardinia’s sun-scorched gravel tracks - capitalising late on as others faltered.
Fourmaux led at the midpoint by 2.9sec over team-mate Thierry Neuville, but the tide turned after lunch. Neuville snatched the lead on SS4, only to retire on the next stage after striking a bank in Telti - Calangianus – Berchidda and damaging the rear-left corner of his i20 N Rally1.
Fourmaux retook first place but was unable to fend off Ogier’s late charge. He dropped 6.7sec on the final test, citing issues with his car's ability to absorb bumps, and slipped to second overnight. Tänak was third, 5.2sec further back, having completed the stage with a damaged shock absorber.
“It’s been a good day, for sure,” said Ogier. “I’ve done everything I could today, so I’m happy with that.”
The newly-introduced Telti - Calangianus - Berchidda stage proved decisive - and destructive. Neuville wasn’t its only victim: M-Sport Ford trio Martinš Sesks, Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster all retired on the first pass. Sesks rolled at high speed, while McErlean and Munster were sidelined by suspension damage.
The second run saw even more drama. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta and Puma privateer Jourdan Serderidis both rolled at the same hairpin but managed to continue, albeit with time loss.
“That stage where all the drama happened was very tricky,” Ogier added. “It’s super narrow and extremely fast. It’s always a surprise to see that many incidents, but it can happen very easily there.”
Sami Pajari continued to impress with his maturity and consistency. The Toyota youngster ended the day fourth, 9.5sec behind Tänak, despite clipping a rock and damaging a front-right tyre on SS3.
Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä was fifth after enduring loose conditions from second on the road, while championship leader Elfyn Evans - tasked with opening the road – struggled even more and languished in sixth.
Katsuta brought his battered GR Yaris home in seventh, more than two minutes adrift of the lead, while Rally2 runners filled out the rest of the top 10. Oliver Solberg overcame an early overshoot to hold eighth, with WRC2 frontrunners Yohan Rossel and Roberto Daprá rounding out the leaderboard.
Saturday’s itinerary features more than 120km of competitive action, including the return of the legendary Lerno–Su Filigosu stage - home to the iconic Micky’s Jump.
Standings after Friday (SS6 / 16):
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 1h 10m 33.1s
2. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N +2.1s
3. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +7.3s
4. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +16.8s
5. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +22.8s
6. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +1m 9.8s
25-06-05 Tänak targets redemption as WRC resumes in Sardinia
Brutal gravel roads, soaring temperatures and tight battles await as the WRC hits Sardinia’s rugged coastline.
If you're in search of a laid-back Mediterranean escape, Sardinia won’t be the place to find it this week. The FIA World Rally Championship resumes at Rally Italia Sardegna - and it’s bringing the full heat of the island with it.
Based around the coastal city of Olbia, the sixth round of the 2025 season is a true mid-year stress test.
Sardinia’s narrow gravel tracks twist through hills and hug the coastline, littered with rocks and ruts that punish even the smallest mistake. Tyre wear is high, temperatures soar, and mechanical reliability is pushed to the limit. Nothing comes easy here - and it rarely goes to plan.
One man hoping to rewrite the script is Ott Tänak. The Hyundai Motorsport driver arrives on Italian soil aiming to recapture the magic of his 2024 victory and finally climb onto the top step for the first time this season. He came agonisingly close at the previous round in Portugal, only for a late power steering issue to hand Toyota GAZOO Racing star Sébastien Ogier the win.
The pair have unfinished business in Sardinia. Last year’s showdown went down to the wire, with Tänak snatching victory by two-tenths of a second in a thrilling Wolf Power Stage finish - the joint-closest in WRC history.
“Sardinia is another super punishing event,” Tänak said. “At first, it can look smooth and sandy, but the roads normally develop quickly. We can suddenly find solid rocks sticking out from the ground, which will make life hard for both the car and tyres. Hopefully, we have done our homework and we are going to be on the pace from the start!”
Tänak sits fourth in the drivers’ standings heading into the rally, with Hyundai team-mates Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux holding fifth and seventh. All three benefit from strong road positions on Friday — a crucial edge on Sardinia’s dust-coated surface.
Championship leader Elfyn Evans isn’t so lucky. The Welshman paid the price for his early-season consistency in Portugal, where sweeping the loose surface cost him valuable time. With the same fate awaiting him this week, Evans is likely targeting damage limitation as he defends a 30-point cushion over team-mate and two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä.
Ogier, fresh off his Portugal win, trails Rovanperä by just two points and will be another serious threat, while Takamoto Katsuta and young talent Sami Pajari also join the Toyota GAZOO Racing line-up in non-scoring roles for the manufacturers’ championship.
M-Sport Ford, meanwhile, bring strength in numbers. Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster are joined by Martinš Sesks and Jourdan Serderidis in a four-strong Puma Rally1 assault. The team is still chasing its first podium of 2025, but Sardinia has a habit of rewarding those who play the long game.
Rally Italia Sardegna begins with shakedown on Thursday (5 June) afternoon and features 16 competitive stages, covering more than 320 kilometres ahead of Sunday’s finish.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-06-05 Solberg söker mer erfarenhet på Sardinien
Efter två segrar på tre starter i rally-VM hittills den här säsongen, reser Oliver Solberg till Sardinien den här veckan för att skaffa sig erfarenhet.
Solberg har lett sin klass när han tävlat på den italienska ön två gånger tidigare, men segrarna har uteblivit. Förra året fick han inte ens starta tävlingen på grund av sjukdom.
Tillsammans med kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson kommer 23-åringen att starta i WRC2-klassen på fredagmorgon. Duon har dock valt att inte ta WRC2-poäng i den här upplagan av Rally Italia Sardinia.
Istället vill Solberg skaffa sig mer erfarenhet av både tävlingen och sin Toyota GR Yaris Rally2-bil och Hankook-däcken den körs på.
– Säsongsstarten har varit ganska bra. Vi har vunnit två rally-VM-tävlingar på tre starter med en ny bil. Det känns bättre och bättre för varje dag, säger Oliver Solberg.
– Toyotan är ganska annorlunda än den jag körde förra året. Trecylindrigmotor och en del andra skillnader tog lite tid att vänja sig vid. Jag har tydliga idéer om hur vi kan få ut ännu mer av bilen.
Solberg samarbetar bra med Toyota och Printsport-teamet. De tar stadigt nya steg tillsammans.
– Den här veckan handlar om att lära sig mer om bilen och hur den
fungerar med de nya Hankook-däcken. De är också ganska annorlunda än
märket vi körde förra året. Det tar lite tid att finna den bästa
inställningen på bilen och hur man får ut det mesta av hela paketet. Men jag känner verkligen att vi är på rätt väg.
Med bara två starter i Rally Italia Sardinia bakom sig, blir det också viktigt att lära känna terrängen, förhållandena och vägarnas rytm.
– Man ska inte pressa för hårt, för det finns ofta en sten som väntar på en. Det ska bli skönt att tävla igen utan så mycket press när det gäller VM-poäng. Vi kan köra vår egen tävling.
Rally Italia Sardinia har sitt säte i Olbia. Tävlingen startar på fredagmorgon och avslutas efter 16 specialsträckor tidigt på söndagseftermiddagen.
25-05-26 NACON confirmed as WRC Games Publisher from 2027
WRC Promoter enters collaboration with French video game producer, beginning 2027
WRC Promoter has confirmed that the publishing of games based on the FIA World Rally Championship will return to French publisher NACON.
The agreement covers the development and publishing of the official WRC games and eSports competitions, granting NACON exclusive rights for PC and consoles for six seasons, from 2027 through 2032.
As part of this strategic partnership, NACON will begin development of an all-new WRC game series, aiming to deliver an immersive experience that faithfully reflects the reality of the championship and meets the expectations of both rally enthusiasts and new players. The games will feature the official rallies, vehicles, teams, drivers, and sponsors among the many anticipated content elements. This project represents a complete reboot of the franchise, based on an entirely fresh vision, and marks an ambitious new chapter in the brand’s development.
“We are thrilled to renew our collaboration with WRC Promoter. This iconic license provides an exceptional playground to build a highly refined driving experience that lives up to the expectations of rally fans,” said Alain Falc, CEO of NACON. “Between 2015 and 2023, we had the opportunity to work closely with the championship’s official teams and many drivers, allowing us to gain solid and unique expertise in translating rallying into a video game experience. This new venture marks a major milestone: a fully reimagined project driven by a passionate and specialised team, with a clear ambition to elevate rally games to new heights.”
“After a comprehensive evaluation, we are delighted to have reached an agreement with NACON,” expressed FIA World Rally Championship’s Chief Marketing Officer Arne Dirks. “Their vision for the franchise stands out, and their expertise in delivering great rally games is unquestioned. We look forward to breaking new ground together in this collaboration, to truly turn the WRC games into epic adventures and offer gaming experiences beyond rally as we know it today.”
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-05-22 Portugal's future in WRC secured for another three seasons
A mainstay of the FIA World Rally Championship since its inception, Vodafone Rally de Portugal is confirmed to remain on the WRC calendar through to 2028.
Following another hugely successful edition this past weekend (15–18 May), which attracted hundreds of thousands of fans and reaffirmed its status as a bucket-list sporting event, Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP) and WRC Promoter have confirmed the rally’s inclusion on the 2026, 2027 and 2028 WRC calendars.
“This is very good news for the organisation and for all the mayors who trust us to bring this fantastic rally to the interior of the country, for the fans and for the economy” said ACP President Carlos Barbosa. “The confidence of WRC Promoter is also very important, so we are very glad to push for another three years of the rally.”
Speaking on behalf of WRC Promoter at the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage on Sunday, Senior Events Director Simon Larkin highlighted the fans as a key factor in keeping the WRC in Portugal.
“We only need to look around us here [in Fafe, on the Wolf Power Stage] to see what an important spectacle this is – sporting, promotional and spectator-wise. This is an important event for us. This is an important step for the WRC and for Portugal,” he said.
Larkin also paid tribute to the efforts of President Barbosa in bringing together the many organisations required to stage the event successfully.
“It involves a lot of different stakeholders – municipalities and tourism bodies – that really support this event and make it what it is. President Barbosa does a great job bringing them together to create this great rally that everyone in the WRC loves.”
A founding round of the WRC’s inaugural season in 1973, Portugal has featured in the championship every year since – with the exception of a brief hiatus between 2002 and 2006. Over this time, it has built a reputation as one of the toughest competitive challenges of the year, with stages such as Fafe and Arganil rating among the world’s greatest. Today, the rally is based in Matosinhos in Portugal’s north-west and continues to attract crowds in the hundreds of thousands.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-05-19 Mille Johansson i delad ledning av Junior WRC efter kämpigt Rally de Portugal
20-årige Mille Johansson från Katrineholm och kartläsaren2 Johan Grönvall från Arvika kämpade sig tillbaka efter en bitvis tuff tävling i Junior-VM (Junior WRC). I Rally de Portugal slutade dom tvåa. bara 13 sekunder från seger, efter att ha rullat sin bil under fredagsetappen.
Tävlingen började på bästa sätt, när Mille och Johan tog hem sträcksegern direkt på SS1 under torsdagskvällen. Men redan under fredagsmorgonen blev det dramatiskt. På sträcka fyra gjorde de en lättare rullning, vilket kostade omkring 25 sekunder. Dessutom uppstod skador på bilen, både stötdämpare och bromsar skadades, och under stora delar av dagen tvingades de köra med endast tre fungerande bromsskivor. Det totala tidstappet blev över en minut.
Trots problemen kämpade dom på, och tog hela 13 sträcksegrar* under rallyt. Dom körde in en minut på australienaren Taylor Gill under rallyts gång, och kunde utmana om segern hela vägen in i mål.
– Vi slutar tvåa, bara 13 sekunder från seger. Vi har kört ikapp en del, och precis som förra gången i Sverige hade vi otur, men någon gång ska det väl vända. Vi är klart snabbast när allt stämmer. Vi var snabbast på 14 av 24 sträckor i Portugal, och nu delar vi mästerskapsledningen inför nästa tävling i Grekland, säger Mille Johansson.
Efter två deltävlingar har Mille och Johan tagit 25 sträcksegrar, överlägset flest i hela Junior WRC. Varje sträckseger ger också en mästerskapspoäng, vilket gör att Mille och Johan delar VM-ledningen med Taylor Gill trots två struliga tävlingar.
Nästa deltävling i Junior-VM körs i Grekland 26–29 juni. Men redan 29–31 maj är Mille och Johan tillbaka i tävlingsbilen, när de ställer upp i hemmatävlingen BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia i Karlstad, denna gång i högsta klassen i FIA European Rally Championship (ERC).
*Fotnot: Mille och Johan var snabbast på 14 sträckor. Men eftersom idealtid delades ut på SS9 får dom inte tillgodoräkna sig mästerskapspoäng för den sträckan.
Länkar:
Resultat: https://www.ewrc-results.com/results/90020-vodafone-rally-de-portugal-2025/?s=492582&sct=10&utm_campaign=cmp_3300764&utm_source=getanewsletter&utm_medium=email
Tabeller Junior-VM: https://www.wrc.com/en/results-and-standings/championship-standings?utm_campaign=cmp_3300764&utm_source=getanewsletter&utm_medium=email
25-05-18 Ogier extends record with seventh Portugal WRC win
Frenchman triumphs by 8.7 seconds on Sunday to keep Toyota on top in 2025.
Sébastien Ogier extended his record at Vodafone Rally de Portugal on Sunday, claiming a seventh victory on the event as Toyota GAZOO Racing continued its flawless start to the 2025 season with a fifth win in as many rounds.
Co-driven by Vincent Landais, Ogier completed the four-day gravel classic 8.7sec ahead of Hyundai’s Ott Tänak, with GR Yaris Rally1 colleague Kalle Rovanperä a further 3.5sec back in third.
Ogier’s 63rd WRC win looked far from certain until late drama on Saturday. Having shadowed long-time leader Tänak throughout the rally, the Frenchman inherited the top spot when the Estonian’s i20 N Rally1 suffered a power steering failure on Amarante 2. The issue dropped Tänak to third overnight and handed Ogier a 27.6sec lead over Rovanperä heading into Sunday.
Despite spirited drives from both Tänak and Rovanperä on the final day – Tänak taking maximum Super Sunday points and reclaiming second on the penultimate test - neither could dislodge the eight-time world champion.
Toyota’s dominance remains unbroken, with Ogier, Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans each scoring victories so far in 2025.
“I think it's something I can be proud of, the way I have managed to stay competitive after all these years,” said Ogier after the finish. “Thanks to the team - it was great to drive this weekend.
“Ott was just flying [like] crazy, but maybe a bit too much actually - I don't know. On our side, race management is definitely a craft we have, so I'm happy. Seven times here in Portugal, not too bad.”
Rovanperä’s result trimmed Evans’ championship lead to 30 points with nine rounds remaining. Ogier, competing on a part-time programme, now holds third overall, with Tänak climbing to fourth.
Defending champion Thierry Neuville finished fourth, 26.3sec behind team-mate Tänak. The Belgian battled a persistent “loose rear end” and slipped to fifth in the championship standings.
Takamoto Katsuta endured a frustrating rally, further compounded by a spin on the penultimate stage. The Japanese driver had run as high as second on Friday but ended up more than a minute behind Neuville in fifth.
Evans salvaged sixth overall, overtaking Sami Pajari on Sunday. He ended 7.3sec clear of the young Finn, having struggled to make headway after road-sweeping duties on Friday hampered his chances.
M-Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean impressed with one of his most consistent performances yet, finishing eighth and leading home team-mate Grégoire Munster as WRC2 winner Oliver Solberg completed the top 10.
The championship resumes with Rally Italia Sardegna, based in Olbia from 5 - 8 June, where more hot weather and punishing gravel roads await.
Rally Classification:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 3h 48m 35.9s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +8.7s
3. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +12.2s
4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +38.5s
5. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 41.9s
6. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +2m 31.0s
25-05-18 Solberg fick äntligen fira segern i Portugal
Tredje gången gillt! Rallyföraren Oliver Solberg lyckades äntligen vinna VM-tävlingen i Portugal under söndagen.
För två år sedan ådrog han sig ett tidsstraff som kostade honom segern, och förra året kraschade Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson ur VM-deltävlingen. Båda gångerna var duon i position att vinna tävlingen.
År 2025 rådde ingen tvekan: Solberg och Co. var helt överlägsna och krossade sin närmaste rival med över 50 sekunder totalt efter att ha varit snabbast i mer än hälften av specialsträckorna.
– Jag är väldigt, väldigt nöjd med det här resultatet. Det är extra speciellt att vinna en så stor och traditionell tävling. I den här delen av världen är rallysport stort, konstaterade Oliver Solberg.
Segern är den andra för säsongen efter triumfen med sin Toyota GR Yaris
Rally2 på hemmaplan i Sverige i februari. Nästan exakt tre månader senare säkrade han sin nionde WRC2-seger i karriären.
– Jag var inte helt säker på vad jag kunde förvänta mig av bilen. Det var den första tävlingen på den här typen av underlag och med den här typen av vägar med bilen. Teamet gjorde ett fantastiskt jobb och hjälpte mig att hitta rätt inställningar och mer fart. Det finns fortfarande mer att hitta, men jag är väldigt nöjd med vad vi fick till under helgen.
Rally de Portugal bjöd på en lång och tuff fredag ??för både däck, bil och besättning.
– Vi pressade på så hårt vi kunde för att skapa en ledning, och det lyckades vi med. Under resten av tävlingen handlade det mer om att bevaka ledningen, sa Solberg.
– Jag har varit så nära att vinna det här rallyt två gånger, och det var fantastiskt att äntligen få göra det den här gången. Segern är viktig för både Elliott och mig själv, men viktigast av allt, att få maximalt antal poäng i VM-sammandraget. Vi vill verkligen ha den där VM-titeln.
Nästa VM-tävling äger rum på den italienska ön Sardinien i början av juni.
25-05-15 Toyota chases sixth straight win as WRC roars into Portugal
Star-studded field heads to gravel classic with Evans leading the charge.
The FIA World Rally Championship heads to one of its most iconic stops this week as Vodafone Rally de Portugal (15 – 18 May) welcomes the world’s best drivers for round five of the 2025 season.
First held in 1973, Portugal is a founding event of the WRC and remains one of its most cherished. Fans flock to the famous gravel stages in their hundreds of thousands, lining the hillsides of Fafe, Arganil and beyond to witness the action up close.
This year’s event marks the strongest Rally1 entry since 2022, with 12 top-tier cars set to start. Leading the charge is Elfyn Evans, who arrives at the Matosinhos-based fixture holding a commanding 43-point lead in the drivers’ championship after a dream start to the season.
Evans is spearheading a dominant campaign from Toyota GAZOO Racing, which holds a perfect four-from-four win record so far in 2025. The Japanese marque is also unbeaten in Portugal since 2019, with Evans among its past winners thanks to his 2021 triumph.
Joining the Welshman in a stacked Toyota line-up are two-time Portugal winner Kalle Rovanperä, record six-time Portugal victor Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta and rising star Sami Pajari. Only Evans, Rovanperä and Ogier are nominated to score points for Toyota's main team.
“I’ve always loved Portugal,” said Ogier. “It’s a rally with a special atmosphere and amazing fans. Last year’s win to make it six was really satisfying – repeating that this week would be incredible.”
Hyundai Motorsport arrives determined to bounce back from a tough most recent outing in Gran Canaria, where set-up woes hampered performance. Defending champion Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak sit third and fifth respectively in the standings, while Adrien Fourmaux – who scored a top-three result on this year’s opening round in Monte-Carlo – continues his search for a maiden WRC win in the third i20 N Rally1.
M-Sport Ford fields an expanded line-up with four Puma Rally1s entered. Regulars Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean are joined by Latvian youngster Martinš Sesks, contesting the second round of his part-time 2025 programme. After showing flashes of speed on his Rally1 debut in Poland last year, the gravel stages of Portugal offer a real benchmark for his development. Portuguese privateer Diogo Salvi also joins the line-up.
In WRC2, the championship’s premier support category, a record-breaking 45 registered entries highlight the growing strength and depth of competition in 2025. Frontrunners include Oliver Solberg, Gus Greensmith, Yohan Rossel and Pierre-Louis Loubet.
The rally kicks off on Thursday with the ceremonial start in Coimbra before crews tackle 24 competitive stages totalling nearly 350 kilometres across four days of flat-out gravel action.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-05-14 Oliver Solberg hoppas oturen vänder i Portugal
Oliver Solberg siktar på att återta ledningen i rally-VM i WRC2-klassen när rallymästerskapet anländer till Matosinhos, Portugal denna vecka.
Rally de Portugal börjar med en superspecialsträcka på torsdag kväll. 23 specialsträckor senare kommer vinnaren att krönas på söndag. I säsongens första europeiska grusdelstävling kommer Oliver och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson att möta totalt 44 rivaliserande WRC2-bilar.
Om Solberg vinner tävlingen med sin Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 från Printsport klättrar han till toppen i VM-sammanfattningen.
– Även om jag älskar att tävla i Portugal har det varit ganska tufft de senaste åren. Vi fick ett straff som kostade oss segern 2023, och förra året kraschade vi efter att vi såg Kalle Rovanperä köra av vägen precis framför oss. Båda gångerna var vi i position att vinna, säger Oliver Solberg och tillägger:
– Den här gången ska jag definitivt klara det och ta hem segern.
Den första hela dagen av Rally de Portugal kommer att bli svår. Vägarna runt Arganil är ojämna och deltagarna får inte full service på sina bilar. Endast två stycken remote service har schemalagts för denna långa dag.
– Så man måste fundera lite på hur man ska hantera bilen och däcken under fredagen. Samtidigt är det hård konkurrens, och vi har verkligen inte råd att ta det lugnt. Du måste fortsätta kämpa, men försök att begränsa riskerna.
För Solberg är uppgiften enkel på pappret. Så många poäng som möjligt måste samlas för att kunna kämpa om världsmästartiteln i slutet av säsongen. Hittills i år har det blivit en seger (Sverige) och en 5:e plats (Kenya).
– Vi hade en fantastisk start på året med segern hemma i Sverige, men att fastna i fech-fech i Kenya var inte bra för oss. Vi vill komma tillbaka till toppen av WRC2, och det bästa sättet att göra det är att äntligen vinna i Portugal.
Rally de Portugal startar från Coimbra på torsdag kväll och avslutas fyra dagar senare i Matosinhos efter 344 tävlingskilometer.
25-05-14 VM-ledaren Mille Johansson laddad för deltävling två i Junior-VM – Rally de Portugal
19-årige Mille Johansson från Katrineholm och kartläsaren Johan Grönvall från Arvika leder Junior-VM efter säsongsinledningen i Rally Sweden i februari. Nu är det dags för nästa deltävling när gruspremiären Rally de Portugal avgörs i helgen.
– Det känns ändå bra måste jag säga inför Portugal. Vi fick en bra start i mästerskapet i Umeå där vi visade vår fart, och jag känner att vi kan ta med oss den in i andra deltävlingen, säger Mille Johansson.
I premiären i Umeå slutade Mille och Johan tvåa, men tog flest sträcksegrar – vilket belönas med extra poäng i Junior WRC. Det gör att de kommer till Portugal som ledare av mästerskapet.
Efter flera framgångsrika tävlingar under våren i en kraftfullare Rally2-bil, både i EM och det italienska grusmästerskapet, är duon nu tillbaka i en Rally3-bil. Alla förare i Junior WRC tävlar i identiska fyrhjulsdrivna Ford Fiesta Rally3-bilar från M-Sport Poland.
Inför tävlingen har Mille och Johan testat på plats i Portugal och förberett sig noggrant.
– Vi har provat ut allt som går att göra med setupen eftersom det är begränsat med ändringar man får göra, och jag känner att vi är ganska så rätt som jag vill ha bilen, där känslan var riktigt bra. Reken har vi kört i två dagar nu, där jag tycker att noterna sitter riktigt bra och vi är väl förberedda för tävlingen, fortsätter Mille.
Tävlingen är känd för sin utmanande karaktär, med grova stenar och djupa spår – särskilt för Junior WRC, som kör sist på vägarna.
– Det kommer bli ett tufft rally. Det gäller att ha ett tempo som är högt, men ändå inte den sista procenten för att kunna undvika stenar. Vi kör för seger och en utökad mästerskapsledning, säger Mille.
– Klart det känns bra, men än är det långt kvar av säsongen, så det gäller att hålla lika mycket fokus som annars, säger Johan Grönvall, och fortsätter:
– Man måste ha fokus här i Portugal, och sen är det bättre att ta det lugnt vissa sträckor och tappa lite tid, istället för att ladda på och eventuellt köra sönder bilen. Jag tror inte den här helgen bara handlar om att vara snabbast, utan mycket kommer att handla om strategi och förberedelser, avslutar Johan.
Rally de Portugal består av 24 specialsträckor, med shakedown och en publiksträcka på torsdagen. Tio sträckor körs på fredagen, sju på lördagen och sex på söndagen. Totalt tolv juniorer är anmälda till deltävlingen.
Länkar:
Startlista
Resultat
Tidsplan
Tabeller Junior-VM
25-04-28 Solberg hittade farten på spansk asfalt
En trasig kardanaxel förstörde segern, men Oliver Solberg var snabbast i fyra av de fem sista specialsträckorna i Rally Islas Canarias i helgen.
23-åringen skulle snarare skaffa sig asfaltserfarenhet än att jaga VM-poäng i den fjärde deltävlingen av årets rally-VM. Tävlingen runt Las Palmas på Gran Canaria kunde inte ha blivit mer lyckad sett ur det perspektivet.
När kardanaxeln gick sönder under fredagseftermiddagen, satte det stopp för förhoppningarna om att bli den bästa Rally2-bilen. Men Solberg och kartläsaren Elliott Edmondson visade upp sin snabbaste hastighet mot slutet av tävlingen i den spanska öns huvudstad på söndagen.
Solbergs Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 var snabbast i fyra av de fem sista specialsträckorna.
– För oss handlade tävlingen om erfarenhet och en djupare förståelse för hur bilen fungerar på torr asfalt. Jag tar med mig mycket mer självförtroende härifrån. Vi vann flera sträckor i en jämn tävling bland toppbilarna i WRC2-klassen, sa Oliver Solberg.
Bilen drivs av det finska Printsport-teamet. Tävlingen blev en publiksuccé med Solberg som en av de största dragplåstren.
– Atmosfären var fantastisk. Vi älskar att se fansen och interagera med dem på tävlingarna. Det är verkligen vad vår sport handlar om – vi måste ta den till folket.
Nästa VM-tävling är Rally de Portugal i området kring Matosinhos som körs mellan 15 -18 maj.
25-04-27 Rovanperä reigns in Gran Canaria with statement WRC win
Finn ends barren run after leading asphalt fixture from start to finish.
Kalle Rovanperä reignited his campaign for a third FIA World Rally Championship title by claiming a dominant victory at Rally Islas Canarias on Sunday.
The Finn, who arrived at this fourth round — host to the WRC for the first time — almost 60 points adrift of the championship lead, slashed that deficit to 43 after a commanding start-to-finish performance vaulted him and co-driver Jonne Halttunen from sixth to second in the standings.
Gran Canaria’s technical asphalt roads and sweeping mountain passes posed a unique and unfamiliar challenge for cars, crews and teams. But Rovanperä immediately found a rhythm that nobody else could match, winning 15 of the 18 stages on the 300-kilometre route. He departs the island with the maximum 35 points on offer, thanks to his pace across Super Sunday and the Wolf Power Stage.
Rovanperä’s triumph – only his second on asphalt – was secured by 53.5 over Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Sébastien Ogier and marked his return to the top step for the first time since Rally Chile Bío Bío seven months ago.
Elfyn Evans completed the podium, 23.6sec adrift of Ogier, further extending his championship lead, while Takamoto Katsuta rounded out a top-four lockout for the GR Yaris Rally1 squad, finishing 45.8sec behind Evans.
“It's quite amazing,” Rovanperä enthused. “It has not been the best start of the season, but we are definitely - at least in these kinds of condition, we are back now.
“Big congratulations to the whole team at the workshop, everywhere. The cars were so fast. I enjoyed it - a super result for the whole team.”
Evans’ consistency this season continued, with the Welshman and co-driver Scott Martin yet to finish off the podium in 2025. Added to Rovanperä and Ogier’s performances, Toyota’s dominance this week saw its lead in the manufacturers’ championship stretch to 49 points over Hyundai Motorsport.
It proved to be a frustrating week for Hyundai, with all three of its i20 N Rally1 drivers struggling to challenge for the podium after encountering handling issues believed to be related to differential settings. Adrien Fourmaux was the Korean marque’s top finisher in fifth, although the Frenchman trailed Rovanperä by over 2min 30sec at the end. Team-mates Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville followed in sixth and seventh respectively.
Neuville and Tänak had occupied second and third in the drivers’ standings prior to this rally but now slip to third and fifth respectively. Tänak’s weekend was further complicated when his car required an engine change on Saturday night — a task completed in a remarkable 46 minutes – overrunning the penalty-free time by just one minute.
WRC2 frontrunners Yohan Rossel, Alejandro Cachón and Nikolay Gryazin completed the top 10, while M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 driver Grégoire Munster recovered to 11th following an off-road excursion on Saturday. Munster’s team-mate, Josh McErlean, failed to make the finish after crashing into an Armco barrier on Sunday’s opening stage.
The WRC turns to gravel next month for Vodafone Rally de Portugal, round five of the season, based in the north-west city of Matosinhos from 14 – 19 May.
Overall Classification
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 2h 54m 38.9s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +53.5s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +1m 17.1s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +2m 02.9s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N +2m 31.0s
6. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +3m 11.5s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-04-27 Rovanperä in control after near-clean sweep in Gran Canaria
Finn stretches lead to 45.2sec on Saturday with 12 out of 13 Rally Islas Canarias stage wins so far.
Kalle Rovanperä strengthened his pursuit of a first FIA World Rally Championship victory of the 2025 season with another flawless drive on Saturday at Rally Islas Canarias.
The Toyota GAZOO Racing star remains firmly on course to become the first-ever winner of a WRC round held on Gran Canarian soil. He will carry a commanding 45.2sec advantage into Sunday’s five-stage final leg, leading an all-GR Yaris Rally1 top four.
Arriving at this fourth round 57 points adrift of the championship lead, Rovanperä has found a rhythm that nobody else has been able to match. He won six of Saturday’s asphalt stages to almost double his overnight advantage — which stood at 26.8sec on Friday — before Elfyn Evans prevented a clean sweep by topping the evening's super special inside the Gran Canaria Arena. Even so, Rovanperä has claimed victory on 12 of the 13 stages run so far.
Evans holds third place, 22.9sec down on Ogier, with Takamoto Katsuta a further 35.8sec adrift. Toyota looked set to lock out the top five before Sami Pajari crashed into a wooden barrier on the penultimate stage, retiring after having held fourth overall.
"It's going really well," Rovanperä said. "We made some really small changes to the car this afternoon and I felt even better than in the morning, so that was nice. I think also the first two ones were cleaning a bit, so the grip was more consistent and quite nice."
Looking ahead to Super Sunday — where up to 10 bonus points are available in addition to the 25 awarded for an outright win — the 24-year-old added:
"We need the points, so I just hope we have the same feeling tomorrow in the car - that everything comes easily. If not, then for sure we need to think about the big picture also. But, if everything goes well, of course we need to try to bring some points."
Ogier, who virtually conceded his hopes of victory on Friday, has since focused on consolidating second place. The Frenchman managed to pull further clear of Evans on Saturday, doubling his buffer after beating his Welsh team-mate across five stages.
As it stands, Evans is on course to extend his championship lead beyond 40 points, with nearest rivals Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak enduring fraught weekends. Both Hyundai drivers sit sixth and seventh respectively, behind their team-mate Adrien Fourmaux, after struggling with set-up issues believed to be linked to differential settings.
Benefiting from Pajari’s retirement, Fourmaux now occupies fifth despite stalling in the last stage, and trails Katsuta by 25.7sec, while Neuville and Tänak remain within touching distance of the Frenchman.
Elsewhere, Grégoire Munster’s hopes took a hit when he required spectator assistance after running wide and beaching his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 on SS10. The incident cost him three minutes and dropped him to 13th overall, promoting WRC2 frontrunners Yohan Rossel and Alejandro Cachón, as well as Munster’s team-mate Josh McErlean, into eighth, ninth, and 10th respectively.
Sunday’s finale features just under 60 kilometres of competitive action, culminating with the bonus points-paying Wolf Power Stage, which wraps up the event at 13:15 local time.
Standings after Saturday (SS13 /18):
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 2h 22m 17.3s
2. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +45.2s
3. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +1m 8.1s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 43.9s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N +2m 9.6s
6. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +2m 15.2s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-04-26 Five-star Friday for Rovanperä and Toyota in Gran Canaria
Unstoppable Finn leads Toyota top-five sweep at WRC Rally Islas Canarias.
Kalle Rovanperä was in a league of his own as he led a stunning Toyota clean sweep through Friday’s opening leg of Rally Islas Canarias.
The Finn, alongside co-driver Jonne Halttunen, topped the timesheets on all six of the day’s speed tests to build a commanding lead of 26.8sec. All five of Toyota’s GR Yaris Rally1 cars ended the day ahead of their rivals from Hyundai Motorsport and M-Sport Ford, completing a dominant showing for the Japanese marque.
Rovanperä’s return to form could not have been better timed. A subdued start to the season had left the two-time world champion 57 points adrift of the championship lead coming into this fourth round – but that gap could start to shrink if his domination continues into the weekend.
While others battled with car set-up and tyre management, Rovanperä appeared right at home on the technical asphalt roads that wound high into Gran Canaria’s mountains – roads that were lined with fans eager to witness the island’s first-ever WRC appearance.
An interrupted rhythm caused by understeer in SS3 – which he still won – was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect day for the 24-year-old. He was followed onto the provisional podium by eight-time champion Sébastien Ogier and current points leader Elfyn Evans, with Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta completing Toyota’s clean sweep in fourth and fifth respectively.
"It feels quite good,” Rovanperä smiled. “It's surprisingly nice to have this kind of Tarmac rally - we haven't had it in a long time. Now hopefully we know for tomorrow what to do with the car. We tested some small things here, so it should be quite okay."
Ogier and Evans were closely matched in the battle for second, but once Ogier dialled in his tyre pressures after the opening stage, he gained the upper hand – reaching the overnight halt in Las Palmas 9.6sec clear of his Welsh colleague.
Pajari, making only his second pure asphalt outing in a Rally1 car, delivered a string of top-four stage times to end Friday just 18.9sec behind Evans. Katsuta, whose confidence and commitment visibly grew as the day wore on, was a further 10.7sec back after overtaking Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux on the penultimate stage to snatch fifth.
It was a frustrating day for Fourmaux and wider Hyundai team – with the Frenchman falling to eighth on the final stage behind his colleagues Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak. All three struggled to extract performance from the hard compound Hankook Ventus Z215 tyres, with set-up issues leaving them over a minute adrift of the lead and searching for solutions overnight.
“I don't know what to say,” Neuville reacted. “Obviously, days like this are really hard to swallow. But in the end, they are not the end of the world. I'm not sure we learned anything today. We know we have two more days to go, and we need to keep positive and continue working."
M-Sport Ford drivers Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean faced similar challenges. The duo worked together on road sections between stages to make adjustments, but progress was limited. Munster ended the day ninth overall, 56.3sec behind Fourmaux, while McErlean languished further back in 11th place.
In WRC2, France’s Yohan Rossel opened up an 18.7sec lead and completed the top 10 overall. The Citroën C3 Rally2 driver headed Alejandro Cachón with Nikolay Gryazin holding third, 20.2sec further adrift.
Saturday brings the rally’s longest leg, with more than 120km of competitive action spread across seven stages. It ends with a unique fan-friendly test that takes crews inside the Gran Canaria Arena – usually the home of professional basketball.
Standings after Friday (SS6 /18):
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris 1h 10m 31.8s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +26.8s
3. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +36.4s
4. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +55.3s
5. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 6.0s
6. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 13.3s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-03-23 Safarisanden fällde Solberg
Oslagbart tempo sista dagen var ett plåster på såret. Oliver Solberg avslutade Safari Rally Kenya med en bitterljuv känsla efter att ha fastnat i sanden på en specialsträcka i fredags.
23-åringen vann tolv av 21 specialsträckor i vad som är säsongens kanske svåraste rally-VM-tävling i WRC2-klassen. På söndagen var han oslagbar och vann alla fem sträckorna och tog in nästan en och en halv minut.
Oliver Solberg med co-driver Elliott Edmondson hade byggt upp en klar ledning i Afrika när deras Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 fastnade i den mjuka sanden mitt i vägen i fredags. Duon körde fast och fick bryta. När de kunde starta om igen fyra sträckor senare, hade de fått 40 tilläggsminuter i bagaget och kampen om topplaceringarna var över.
– Känslan är definitivt bitterljuv. Vi körde kontrollerat och säkert när vi plötsligt fastnade i fesh-fesh. Det var en stor besvikelse och det gick inte att göra något åt det, sa Solberg.
Ekipaget var först på vägen i Rally2-klassen. Rivalerna som startade bakom skickades på en alternativ väg då bilen blockerade den ursprungliga banan.
Efter omstarten på 11:e etappen hämtade Solberg in mer än tre och en halv minut på ledningen. Men till liten nytta. I slutändan slutade Solberg och Edmondson femma i WRC2.
– Det positiva vi kan ta härifrån är tempot vi visade. Vi kunde inte ha gjort något mer än vi gjorde.
Solberg körde sin Toyota GR Yaris på grus och sand för första gången. Britten Gus Greensmith och co-driver Jonas Andersson vann tävlingen
.
Nästa VM-tävling hålls på Kanarieöarna i slutet av nästa månad.
22-03-23 Safari Rally success propels Elfyn Evans to record WRC lead
Welshman wins Kenyan classic as Tänak and Neuville complete the podium.
Elfyn Evans tamed the wilds of Safari Rally Kenya to claim a landmark victory on Sunday and tighten his grip on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title race.
The Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 driver, co-driven by Scott Martin, beat Hyundai rival Ott Tänak by 1min 9.9sec to secure his second win of the season. In doing so, he opened up the largest championship lead ever recorded after three rounds of a WRC campaign.
Evans arrived in Africa riding a wave of momentum following victory in Sweden and a runner-up finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo. Now, with a commanding 36-point advantage at the top of the drivers’ standings, the Welshman has carved out clear daylight between himself and his title rivals after the third of 14 rounds.
His latest success was built across a punishing four-day route that began in Nairobi on Thursday and ventured deep into Kenya’s unforgiving Great Rift Valley. And as ever, the Safari’s raw spectacle drew huge crowds - with police estimating over 250,000 fans lined the stages this year, up from 188,000 in 2024.
Evans moved into the lead late on Friday when early pacesetter Tänak was delayed by a broken driveshaft on his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 - and from there, he never looked back.
It was far from a trouble-free run, however. He overcame tyre deflations and spins earlier in the rally, then carefully managed an electrical issue throughout Sunday’s final leg. Tänak chipped away at the deficit across the closing stages, but Evans held firm to join a select group of British drivers to have triumphed on the Safari - following in the wheel tracks of legends Colin McRae and Richard Burns.
“I want to say thank you to everyone in Kenya for a very warm welcome,” smiled Evans. “An amazing rally, I have to say. Huge well done to the team - they did an amazing job, and I’m proud to be a very small part of Toyota’s history on this special rally.”
Tänak was joined on the podium by team-mate and reigning world champion Thierry Neuville, who finished 2min 22.1sec behind after a drama-filled weekend. The Belgian’s troubles began on Friday with a one-minute time penalty after a delayed gearbox change, followed by further penalties for a jump start and a late arrival as he worked to repair damage to his car’s cooling package on Saturday.
Despite the setbacks, Hyundai’s double podium marked its best-ever result on the Safari. In contrast - despite Evans’ victory - this was the first edition of the rally in which Toyota GAZOO Racing failed to place more than one car on the podium.
A Toyota 1-2 had looked likely until two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä plummeted from second to fifth on Saturday afternoon with rear suspension damage. His misfortune continued into Sunday, when he retired due to an electrical issue - leaving him trailing team-mate Evans by 57 points in the championship fight.
Takamoto Katsuta was on course for a fourth-place finish after battling through multiple punctures and a bout of heat exhaustion, but damage sustained during a roll on the Wolf Power Stage prevented him from reaching the finish and promoted fellow Toyota driver Sami Pajari. Meanwhile, Grégoire Munster overcame a gearbox problem to finish fifth in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1.
Gus Greensmith won WRC2, finishing more than three minutes ahead of Jan Solans after the Spaniard rolled on SS18. Gentleman driver Jourdan Serderidis placed eighth overall in another Puma, with Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zaldivar completing the WRC2 podium in ninth as Josh McErlean rounded out the top 10.
An all-new challenge awaits next, as the WRC heads to Rally Islas Canarias. The asphalt fixture – based on Gran Canaria – takes place from 24 – 27 April.
Rally Classification:
1. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris 4h 20m 3.8s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +1m 9.9s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +3m 32.0s
4. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +7m 18.7s
5. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +11m 35.3s
6. G Greensmith / J Andersson SWE Škoda Fabia +14m 11.6s
Drivers' Championship Standings (After Round 3 of 14):
1. E Evans 88pts
2. T Neuville 52pts
3. O Tänak 49pts
Manufacturers' Championship Standings (After Round 3 of 14):
1. Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT 148pts
2. Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 122pts
3. M-Sport Ford WRT 47pts
25-03-22 Evans on song as rivals go off-key in Africa
Welshman takes commanding 1min 57.4sec advantage into final day of African classic.
Elfyn Evans is on course to extend his FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) lead after surviving a chaotic Saturday at Safari Rally Kenya, ending the event’s penultimate leg with a commanding 1min 57.4sec advantage.
Fortune favoured the Welshman once again as Africa’s legendary endurance test served up another brutal helping of carnage. From bone-dry dust bowls to rain-soaked mudbaths, the day showcased the full spectrum of Safari extremes – and Evans was one of the few who stayed in tune.
He started Saturday with a slender 7.7sec buffer but immediately laid down a marker on the Sleeping Warrior opener. Even with rear tyre damage near the end of the 26.97-kilometre test, he still extended his lead by 8.2sec over Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Kalle Rovanperä.
Rovanperä’s response unravelled swiftly. A front-right tyre deflation five kilometres from the end of Elmenteita cost him 21.1sec, and worse followed at Soysambu, where a front-left puncture dropped him another 55.5sec. By midday service, his deficit to Evans had ballooned to 1min 32.5sec.
Then came the rain.
Conditions deteriorated on the repeated afternoon loop, and although Rovanperä clawed back 11.7sec from Evans on a sodden second pass of Sleeping Warrior, he arrived at the finish with a damaged rear suspension arm. A makeshift roadside fix involving a ratchet strap kept him going, but with no choice but to back off through the final two stages, he dropped almost five minutes and slipped to fifth overall behind Ott Tänak, Thierry Neuville and Takamoto Katsuta.
Evans, who arrived in Kenya holding a 28-point championship lead, is now within touching distance of his first Safari Rally victory - and a significantly bolstered title advantage, should he make it through Sunday unscathed. That’s no foregone conclusion. His Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 sustained front-right damage after a moment in the final stage - a timely reminder of how the event can bite back.
“It's definitely been a proper Safari so far,” said the Welshman. “Two minutes; normally you would say that guarantees you a win - but not here. On a rally like Kenya, you have to weigh up the risk factor. We still need to drive well tomorrow, that goes without saying, and see what [points] we can pick up.”
The drama didn’t stop with Rovanperä. In classic Safari fashion, nearly every Rally1 frontrunner faced some form of adversity.
Second-placed Tänak lost time with a deflated tyre early on, then grappled with visibility issues when the windscreen of his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 fogged up on SS12. Even so, he carries a 2min 36.0sec cushion over team-mate Neuville into Sunday’s five-stage finale.
Neuville’s day was anything but straightforward. Two punctures, a misted windscreen, and a misfiring engine late in the day all combined to slow his charge. But he still gained a position on the final test when Katsuta was forced to stop and change a wheel - his third deflation of the day. The Japanese driver has also been battling illness, making his pair of stage wins even more impressive.
Sami Pajari brought his Toyota home in a lonely sixth overall, 54.4sec behind Rovanperä but more than four minutes ahead of Grégoire Munster’s Ford Puma Rally1. Munster began the day in 11th and even bagged a stage win on SS15.
Gus Greensmith stole the WRC2 lead from Jan Solans on the day’s final stage, snatching an overall eighth place in the process. Just 5.8sec separate the pair going into Sunday, where five stages totalling almost 66km lie in wait.
Standings after Saturday (SS16 /21):
1. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris 3h 38m 39.2s
2. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +1m 57.4s
3. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +4m 33.4s
4. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +5m 6.6s
5. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +6m 6.0s
6. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +7m 0.4s
25-03-21 Elfyn Evans grabs the lead on bruising Friday at Safari Rally Kenya
Welshman pounces as frontrunner Ott Tänak is hampered by a broken driveshaft.
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) leader Elfyn Evans led Safari Rally Kenya after a dramatic and attritional Friday leg, as frontrunner Ott Tänak fell foul of mechanical problems in the searing African heat.
In true Safari fashion, few crews emerged unscathed from the rally’s first full day, which featured eight brutal gravel speed tests across the Great Rift Valley. Over half the Rally1 field suffered issues - a stark reminder of the rally’s unforgiving nature.
Tänak had looked unstoppable early on, storming to four stage wins and opening up a lead of nearly one minute. But disaster struck in the afternoon when a driveshaft failure left his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 with only rear-wheel drive. The Estonian haemorrhaged time across the final two tests, dropping to third overall with an overnight deficit of 55.4sec.
That opened the door for Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Evans, who steadily climbed the order in his GR Yaris Rally1 with a clean and consistent performance - despite not setting a single fastest time.
The Welshman, who arrived in Kenya with a 28-point championship lead, ended the day with a slender buffer over team-mate Kalle Rovanperä - a rear-right tyre deflation near the finish of the final stage being his only notable scare.
Rovanperä was just 7.7sec adrift in second and might have been leading himself but for a spin on a particularly narrow section of the Kedong stage, which saw him lose time trying to get his car pointed in the right direction. Aside from that mishap, the Finn also enjoyed a relatively drama-free day.
"It's been a difficult day and we've erred on the side of caution,” said Evans. “Obviously some guys have had trouble, which is unfortunate, but it's part of the Safari. It's a bit frustrating sometimes because you feel like you can take a bit more risk and go a bit faster, but I keep reminding myself where we are.
“It’s a shame for Ott, obviously, to have a mechanical [failure] like that. You never know in this game if it’s because the car has had an impact or if it’s just a standard failure, but it’s a shame for him because he was going well.”
Tänak wasn’t the only Hyundai driver to hit trouble. Reigning champion Thierry Neuville’s day began with a one-minute penalty after his i20 N was delayed leaving service due to a gearbox change. More issues followed - including a jump start (+10sec), a debeaded tyre, and a further 50sec penalty for lateness to SS8 after another technical glitch. Despite the setbacks, Neuville reached the overnight halt in fourth, 36.0sec behind Tänak.
Adrien Fourmaux, who had rejoined under restart rules following an electrical issue on Thursday, retired again when a front-right steering arm broke on SS7. The Frenchman had been nursing a puncture and drove almost 10 kilometres with the flailing tyre before the suspension finally gave way.
It wasn’t a smooth ride for Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta either. Tyre damage early in the day put him out of contention, and a similar issue in the Geothermal test cost more time. He ended Friday fifth overall, more than four minutes off the lead.
Just behind was team-mate Sami Pajari, also delayed by tyre woes, while seventh-placed Josh McErlean led M-Sport Ford’s charge after an eventful afternoon. The Irishman battled through problems that included a squashed exhaust and a boot floor punctured by a loose spare wheel.
WRC2 leader Kajetan Kajetanowicz sat eighth overall after seizing the top spot from Oliver Solberg, who got stuck in a deep section of fesh-fesh on SS7. The Pole, driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 for the first time, held a narrow advantage over category rivals Gus Greensmith and Jan Solans.
Saturday’s leg brings another six gruelling tests covering 146.50km.
Standings after Friday (SS10 /21):
1. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris 2h 0m 45.4s
2. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +7.7s
3. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +55.4s
4. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +1m 31.4s
5. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +3m 26.4s
6. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +4m 19.1s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-03-20 President Ruto launches Safari Rally Kenya as Tänak takes early lead
Drama already as Safari Rally Kenya gets under way on Thursday.
Kenyan President William Ruto officially launched the 73rd Safari Rally Kenya in Nairobi today (Thursday, 20 March). On the stages, it was Ott Tänak who came out swinging, topping the timesheets after the opening two tests.
Ruto was on-site to flag away the leading crews as they crossed the start ramp in the Kenyan capital, before heading to the nearby Kasarani Stadium for a super special stage. Thousands of fans packed every available vantage point to catch a glimpse of the WRC stars in action, before the rally moved to the all-new Mzabibu test, just 10 kilometres outside of rally base Naivasha.
Championship leader Elfyn Evans set the early pace in Kasarani, but Tänak hit back in SS2 with a commanding run on the longer, more technical stage. The Hyundai i20 N Rally1 driver vaulted from fourth to first, ending the day 2.4sec clear of Takamoto Katsuta, with M-Sport Ford Puma ace Grégoire Munster just two-tenths further back.
“For me, it was all fine,” Tänak said. “I think the first stage tomorrow will show quite a lot. It’s super tricky, very demanding and long at the same time. I think the whole day will be quite a big show.”
Katsuta - already a three-time podium finisher in Kenya - could well have led outright were it not for a wild moment in SS2. The Toyota driver ran wide on a left-hander and lost precious seconds scrambling to regain traction.
His GR Yaris Rally1 team-mates Kalle Rovanperä and Evans completed the top five, but there was trouble for Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, who didn’t make it to SS2 after his engine refused to start following the regroup.
Fourmaux's team-mate and defending champion Thierry Neuville also endured a tough start, struggling with a technical problem on his i20 N Rally1 following a two-wheeled moment that left him eighth behind Josh McErlean and Sami Pajari.
The action resumes on Friday morning with the first of the day’s six stages. The biggest challenge will be the 31.40km Camp Moran test, which opens the morning and afternoon loops.
Standings after Thursday (SS2 /21):
1. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N 9m 52.3s
2. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +2.4s
3. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +2.6s
4. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris +3.0s
5. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +4.5
6. J McErlean / E Treacy IRL Ford Puma +8.8s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-03-19 Solberg redo för Safarisanden
Med ett starkt resultat i säsongens kanske mest utmanande lopp, kommer Oliver Solberg att försöka dominera WRC2-klassen i rally-VM när Safarirallyt går av stapeln denna vecka.
Oliver jagar seger i WRC2-klassen och ledning i mästerskapet på de mycket krävande afrikanska vägarna. Det har blivit två andraplatser i den kenyanska klassikern de senaste två säsongerna.
23-åringen inledde säsongen perfekt med en dominerande seger på hemmaplan i Rally Sweden för drygt en månad sedan. Men den här veckan har allt förändrats: Snö och is i norr är borta, medan sol och sand har anlänt till jordens ekvator.
– Utmaningen är en helt annan när vi går från minus 15 grader till afrikansk sommar. Vi har jobbat lite med upphängningen och inställningen. Bilen känns väldigt fin, säger Oliver Solberg.
Han kommer att köra en Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, som drivs av det finska Printsport-teamet. Kartläsare är britten Elliott Edmondson.
– Vi måste ta ett annat förhållningssätt för den här tävlingen. Du kan inte köra i fullt hela tiden. Det finns alltid en sten som lurar någonstans som lätt kan förstöra det roliga. Men samtidigt har man inte råd att vara för försiktig då konkurrensen är hård.
Oliver Solberg säkrade silver i fjolårets WRC2-klass. Inför Safari Rally är han i gemensam ledning i mästerskapet.
25-03-19 WRC’s toughest test returns as Safari Rally Kenya looms large
The dust flies for the first time in 2025 as Toyota GAZOO Racing celebrates a WRC milestone.
Toyota GAZOO Racing reaches a milestone this week (20 – 23 March), making its 100th FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) start at Safari Rally Kenya – but there’ll be no time for easy celebrations as the African classic hosts round three of the 2025 season.
Regarded as the toughest test in WRC, Safari Rally Kenya is the first gravel event of the year and takes place in the stunning Great Rift Valley, where lions, leopards, giraffes and zebras roam just metres from the action.
There’s no more fitting place for Toyota’s century milestone. Since the Safari returned to the WRC calendar in 2021, the Japanese marque has dominated - and it arrives in Kenya in supreme form, having achieved perfect scores on the opening two rounds. But, even for the reigning champions, this year’s fixture will be anything but straightforward.
It’s a rally of extremes. Long, flat-out straights where speeds exceed 200kph are followed by deep ruts and rocky tracks that force cars to a crawl. Snorkels are a crucial addition for deep water crossings, a necessity across the 384 competitive kilometres which make it the longest route of the season.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans leads the drivers’ standings by 28 points heading into the rally, though the Welshman is yet to conquer its unique challenge. Team-mate Kalle Rovanperä has taken two victories here, while Takamoto Katsuta has finished on the podium three times. Finnish rookie Sami Pajari also pilots a GR Yaris Rally1, running in the team’s second-string squad.
“The Safari is a unique rally with a special set of conditions to face,” said Evans. “It’s not easy even if it’s dry, but when you add the likelihood of rain and standing water, it can be a huge challenge just to get to the end. This has been an amazing rally for the team over recent years and while it’s not perhaps been my strongest event personally, we want to aim as high as possible and challenge for the win if it’s possible.”
Adding another layer of intrigue, Hankook’s new Dynapro R213 gravel tyre will be making its WRC debut in some of the most punishing conditions on the calendar.
Defending champion Thierry Neuville, currently fourth in the standings, is ready to play the long game, with the Belgian and his Hyundai Motorsport colleagues Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux reverting to older-spec i20 N Rally1 cars for this round in pursuit of reliability.
“We need to have a clever drive,” insisted Neuville. “Taking care of the car and staying away from trouble will be key to that. Obviously, you need a bit of luck, but hopefully it's going to work this year.”
British outfit M-Sport Ford fields three Puma Rally1 cars, with Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean leading the charge alongside gentleman driver Jourdan Serderidis.
The action kicks off in Nairobi on Thursday morning before heading into 21 brutal special stages around Lakes Naivasha and Elmenteita.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-03-16 WRC Stars Meet the Kings of Africa
WRC trio awed by Kenya’s wildlife and conservation efforts on a unique safari experience.
Three of the FIA World Rally Championship’s leading drivers swapped horsepower for a breathtaking wildlife encounter just days out from the third round of the 2025 season, Safari Rally Kenya.
Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Takamoto Katsuta, Hyundai Motorsport’s Adrien Fourmaux and M-Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean immersed themselves in the wonders of Africa on 15 and 16 March, taking in some of Kenya’s most iconic conservation projects in Nairobi.
Their adventure began at the world-renowned Sheldrick Wildlife Trust where they mingled with orphaned elephants and rhinos, each driver adopting an animal to support its rehabilitation back into the wild. The trio then embarked on a Nairobi National Park safari, witnessing Africa’s famed wildlife up close, before rounding off the experience with a gourmet African brunch prepared by celebrated local chef Kiran Jethwa.
The visit underscored WRC’s commitment to highlighting the regions it visits and supporting conservation initiatives that protect local ecosystems.
“It was quite emotional as it brought us back to nature which I appreciated” exclaimed Frenchman Fourmaux. “I think the highlight for me was the elephants as it is quite unique. It was a pleasure to see one for the first time in my life and share time with them.”
“It was a great life experience to see the small elephants,” opined Katsuta. “To see all the animals today [Sunday] in Nairobi National Park was also special. I have been four times in Kenya before but I have never had a proper safari experience, and the nice food with Chef [Jethwa] was amazing.
“For sure, I have to come back with my two kids and share with them what I saw.”
WRC rookie McErlean added: “It’s been a pretty unique two days. Obviously going to the orphanage with the elephants – it is not so often you get to get so close to animals, and then getting to adopt one, that is special for anyone.”
Attention now shifts to the rally action, with round three of the WRC season roaring into life on Thursday (20 March) morning in Nairobi’s City Square, where crews will be flagged away in front of Kenyan dignitaries. The rally then heads towards Naivasha, 90km north-east of the capital, for the first two competitive stages on the unforgiving African gravel.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-01-29 WRC’s Young Driver Team Prepares for Snowy Sweden Showdown
Claire Schönborn and Lyssia Baudet to battle for coveted FIA Junior WRC prize drive.
Rising stars Claire Schönborn and Lyssia Baudet are ready to face their biggest challenge yet when they line up for Rally Sweden (13 – 16 February), round one of the 2025 FIA Junior WRC.
Based out of Umeå, eastern Sweden, the iconic event will be the snow-and-ice debut for the Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme drivers as they battle for one seat for the remaining rounds of the 2025 FIA Junior WRC series.
Launched in 2024 by WRC Promoter, the Women’s Driver Development Programme is part of the Beyond Rally initiative and is designed to boost female representation at the highest levels of rallying, providing a crucial stepping stone for emerging female drivers.
Chosen from a pool of 15 talented drivers following an intense three-day assessment at M-Sport Poland’s Krakow headquarters last year, Baudet (Belgium), Schönborn (Germany), and Suvi Jyrkiäinen (Finland) had the opportunity to showcase their skills at the Central European Rally – the penultimate round of the 2024 WRC.
While all three demonstrated immense potential, it was Baudet and Schönborn who stood out, delivering near-identical performances. As a result, both will head to Sweden where the final decision will be made on who will claim the coveted prize.
Both drivers will be behind the wheel of identical M-Sport Poland-supplied Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars, equipped with Hankook tyres and entered under the WRC Young Driver Team banner. A crucial pre-event test at the John Haugland Winter Rally School next week will give them the opportunity to refine their skills in sub-zero conditions before the action kicks off.
Schönborn, a hillclimb racing champion who is gearing up for just her fourth-ever rally, is excited about the snow-and-ice challenge ahead. “This is going to be a huge experience,” she said. “Driving on studded tyres is something I’ve never done before, but I’ve heard that the grip is incredible – I can’t wait to experience it for myself.”
Since her debut at Central European Rally, Schönborn has been hard at work, honing her skills on the simulator and refining her pace note system. “My system was basic at first, but during the rally I learned a lot of new techniques to add more detail to my notes,” she explained.
Baudet, 22, who regularly competes in the Belgian Rally Championship, has been working closely with ex-works WRC driver Alex Bengué to prepare for her snow rally debut. “After CER, we did a rally in a Renault Clio Rally5 in Belgium,” she said. “It was great for improving my pace note system and mechanical skills, and I’ve also started working with our coach for Sweden, Alex Bengué.”
In addition to physical and mental training, Baudet has sought advice from specialists to ensure she’s fully prepared. “I can’t wait for Rally Sweden, but I’m also grateful for the extra time to prepare,” she added. “It’s going to be a big challenge!”
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-01-27 Oliver Solberg med en stark Toyota-debut
Toyota-debuten bjöd på starka sju sträcksegrar och en sjätteplats totalt för Oliver Solberg i Rally Monte-Carlo.
23-åringen hade vunnit sin klass men en skada på framvagnen ledde till flera minuters tidsförlust redan på den första specialsträckan under torsdagen.
– Förutom det olyckliga ögonblicket på torsdagskvällen har allt gått väldigt bra. Vi har lärt oss så mycket om den nya bilen. Jag måste bara skicka ett stort tack till co-driver Elliott Edmondson och teamet, sa Oliver Solberg.
Solberg visade imponerande körning och hämtade in mycket av torsdagens tidstapp i sin debuttävling med Printsport-teamet. Solberg säkrade sju av 18 sträcksegrar i sin nya Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
– Bilen var ganska annorlunda än vad jag kört innan, men vi testade mycket som verkligen hjälpte mig att hitta en bra känsla. Tiderna vi lyckades sätta var väldigt starka, det var fantastiskt att få vinna många av sträckorna. Jag tror att vi hade momentum för att vinna. Det är lite frustrerande att vi fick den här skadan i torsdags kväll, men så är spelet och det är så den här sporten är.
23-åringen var inte registrerad för WRC2-poäng i säsongsinledningen, som vanns av fransmannen Yohan Rossel. Nu riktar Oliver Solberg och Elliott Edmondson blicken mot Rally Sweden 13-16 februari. Där ska de slåss om VM-poäng.
– Nu är det dags för snö och vi åker hem för att tävla i Umeå. Jag ser fram emot att köra den nya bilen på de vägarna. Solberg har vunnit Rally Sweden de senaste två åren.
25-01-26 Sébastien Ogier Strikes 10 at Rallye Monte-Carlo
Frenchman triumphs on the WRC’s season opener for a record-extending 10th time.
Sébastien Ogier etched his name further into the history books by claiming a record-extending 10th victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo, the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship.
Driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, Ogier secured victory by a margin of 18.5sec over his Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Elfyn Evans after a nail-biting final day through the French Alps.
Sunday’s decisive final leg threatened to turn the tide. Ogier and his Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Elfyn Evans opted to carry four studded Hankook tyres and only two super-soft slicks - an approach that proved effective on the icy roads of Avançon - Notre-Dame du Laus but left them vulnerable on the drier penultimate test at Digne-les-Bains / Chaudon-Norante. There, Adrien Fourmaux shone on a full-slick setup, outpacing both Toyotas by a 23.9sec and 17.8sec respectively and momentarily threatening to disrupt the podium order.
Fourmaux, making his Hyundai WRC debut after an off-season switch from M-Sport Ford, had hoped for drier conditions on the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage to maximise his slick tyre advantage. Instead, the icy Col de Turini levelled the playing field, leaving him on the same mixed-tyre setup as Ogier and Evans.
Ogier capitalised with another stage win, while Evans held off Fourmaux’s late charge by just 7.5sec despite a heart-stopping brush with a rock face.
“What a weekend,” reflected Ogier, whose first triumph here came during Rallye Monte-Carlo’s IRC days in 2009.
“I don't know where to start, what a weekend. I think I have had my lucky star with me this weekend - my uncle, who we lost one year ago. I am sure he was bringing me everything and this one is for him. I have no idea if it is my last [Rallye Monte-Carlo] now. It would be a good place to stop.”
The drama extended far beyond the podium battle, as Sunday’s treacherous conditions wreaked havoc further down the field. Toyota’s Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta both slid off the road on SS17, while Grégoire Munster’s M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 met a similar fate on the very next stage.
Behind Evans, Hyundai’s Ott Tänak ceded fourth position to Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä on the final day due to his own tyre misjudgement. The pair finished just 4.7sec apart, with both drivers now eager to bounce back on next month’s Rally Sweden as previous winners of the snow-and-ice fixture.
Defending champion Thierry Neuville salvaged sixth place after a tumultuous event. A combination of broken suspension from an early crash, a deflated tyre and an unexplained electrical issue cost him over five minutes, thwarting his hopes of defending last year’s win.
M-Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean impressed with a solid seventh-place finish on his Rally1 debut, while Rally2 competitors Yohan Rossel, Nikolay Gryazin and Gus Greensmith rounded out the top 10. Rossel’s standout performance earned him an early lead in the WRC2 championship.
Round two of the WRC takes place on the snow and ice of Sweden. The series' only pure winter fixture is based in Umeå from 13 – 16 February.
Rally Classification:
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 3h 19m 6.1s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +18.5
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N +26.0s
4. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +54.3s
5. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +59.0s
6. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +5m 44.6s
Drivers' Championship Standings (After Round 1 of 14):
1. S Ogier 33pts
2. E Evans 26pts
3. A Fourmaux 20pts
Manufacturers' Championship Standings (After Round 1 of 14):
1. Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT 60pts
2. Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 36pts
3. M-Sport Ford WRT 11pts
25-01-25 Ogier Turns the Tables to Lead Rallye Monte-Carlo on Friday
Frenchman rebounds from early setback as defending champion Thierry Neuville falters.
Sébastien Ogier staged an impressive comeback on Friday at Rallye Monte-Carlo, vaulting from third to first overall as Thierry Neuville and Elfyn Evans fell victim to the treacherous Alpine roads.
Ogier, chasing an unprecedented 10th Rallye Monte-Carlo triumph in this season-opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship, began the day on the back foot after an off-road moment on Thursday’s third stage cost him around 20sec. By Friday evening, however, the Frenchman had turned the tables, leading the rally by 12.6sec thanks to a masterful drive on the ice-kissed stages.
Ogier’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 team-mate Elfyn Evans initially dethroned overnight leader Thierry Neuville on the opening stage, edging ahead after shading the Belgian by 2.8sec at Saint-Maurice - Aubessagne 1. Neuville’s hopes of reclaiming the lead were dashed moments later when he limped out of La Bréole - Selonnet 1 with a damaged rear-left suspension, a costly consequence of running wide on a downhill hairpin.
Evans, a four-time runner-up in the drivers’ championship, saw his lead reduced to just 1.5sec by midday. A spirited response after service helped him extend the margin to 7.9sec, but disaster struck on an icy section in Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes - La Bâtie-Neuve. A half-spin on a treacherous patch handed the stage win - and the rally lead - back to Ogier. The Frenchman, energised by competing on roads just a stone’s throw from his home village of Forest-Saint-Julien, extended his advantage further with a commanding performance on the day’s finale.
"It's a good end to the day,” Ogier smiled. “I had to fight for that. Earlier today I didn't have a mega feeling, I was really on the back foot and I couldn't find the perfect rhythm, but the last two stages were good for me."
With Neuville and Ott Tänak both facing setbacks - Tänak clipped a telegraph pole on SS6, damaging his i20 N Rally1’s bodywork - it was Adrien Fourmaux who carried the Hyundai torch. On his first WRC outing with the team, Fourmaux showed promise with a stage win and two second-fastest times, securing the final podium spot just 1.6sec behind Evans.
Two-time WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä also found his rhythm after a measured start on Thursday. The Toyota ace won the morning’s opening stage and climbed from sixth to fourth by day’s end. He ended 24.3sec behind Fourmaux but held an 8.8sec cushion over Tänak.
Grégoire Munster delivered one of his strongest performances to date, securing consecutive second-fastest stage times in the morning loop. The M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 driver ran as high as fourth before a tyre deflation on the penultimate stage dropped him to sixth overall, but worse was to come as an electrical fault on the road section after the final test forced his retirement.
Munster's demise meant that Takamoto Katsuta rounded out Friday in sixth ahead of Toyota’s young star Sami Pajari. Neuville, down in eighth, lost more time on the second pass through La Bréole – Selonnet, suffering a tyre deflation that caused him to slide wide at the same corner he had faltered on earlier in the day.
Saturday is the rally’s longest day and includes six stages totalling more than 120 kilometres against the clock.
Standings after Friday (SS9 /18):
1. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris 1h 27m 0s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +12.6s
3. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N +14.2s
4. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +38.5s
5. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +47.3s
6. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +1m 37.7s
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at wrc.com.
The official Home of World Rallying: wrc.com
25-01-24 Masterful Neuville Lights Up WRC Monte-Carlo Opener
TDefending champion leads after Sébastien Ogier spins on Thursday.
Defending WRC champion Thierry Neuville led under the stars of Rallye Monte-Carlo on Thursday evening, thrilling the thousands of fans who lined the alpine roads north-west of Monaco as early pacesetter Sébastien Ogier suffered a costly spin.
The 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season launched in spectacular fashion, starting with a ceremonial send-off at Monaco’s iconic Casino Square. From there, the competing crews – along with tens of thousands of fans - ascended into the French Alps for the opening trio of stages. The night-time action, illuminated by dazzling headlights and fireworks, was beamed to over 150 countries through more than 50 broadcasters and WRC’s flagship streaming platform, Rally.TV.
Chasing a record-extending 10th Monte-Carlo victory, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 ace Ogier stamped his authority by posting consecutive fastest times for the opening two stages. However, the Frenchman’s hopes took a hit in the final test from Avançon to Notre-Dame-du-Laus. A wide slide into a fence post cost him over 20 seconds, dropping him to third.
Neuville, driving a Hyundai i20 N Rally1, capitalised on Ogier’s misstep to claim the overnight lead with a slender 2.0sec advantage over Elfyn Evans’ Toyota. Ogier, meanwhile, trailed 12.8sec further back in third.
The Belgian relied on Hankook’s newly developed Ventus Z215 super soft tyres, which performed reliably on a challenging mixture of dry and damp asphalt plus treacherous patches of ice.
“On the first part [of SS3] I was painting the road, and in the last part I was cleaning the road!” Neuville smiled. “Super tricky to keep it on the road. I’m happy with the first day. Overall, our target was to finish today.”
Ogier counted himself lucky to escape without major damage, saying: “[It was] difficult of course. A lot of mud on the road and we hit a pole sideways. It's always lucky to get away with that.”
Hyundai’s Ott Tänak kept things steady to secure fourth, 27.0sec adrift of Neuville’s lead. The Estonian overtook debuting team-mate Adrien Fourmaux on SS3, with the Frenchman ending just 3.0sec behind him.
A further 13.9sec back was two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä, who returns to Toyota for a full-time campaign in 2025 after his part-time schedule last season. Rovanperä admitted his lack of recent experience in Monte-Carlo left him on the back foot as he ended the night down in sixth.
M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 driver Grégoire Munster placed seventh, edging Takamoto Katsuta – who was battling a bout of the flu – by 4.5sec. Finnish talent Sami Pajari placed ninth as Nikolay Gryazin closed out the top 10 in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Citroën star Yohan Rossel was the highest-placed WRC2-registered driver. He claimed 11th overall ahead of Irishman Josh McErlean, who made a cautious but sensible start on his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 debut.
The rally continues on Friday with six challenging stages totalling over 100 competitive kilometres.
Standings after Thursday (SS3 /18):
1. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N 32m 58.8s
2. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +2.0s
3. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris +12.8s
4. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +27.0s
5. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N +30.0s
6. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris +43.9s
25-01-23 Iconic Rallye Monte-Carlo opens 2025 FIA World Rally Championship
World champion Neuville leads the charge into the WRC’s ultimate challenge.
The FIA World Rally Championship launches its 2025 season in spectacular fashion this week as Rallye Monte-Carlo (23 - 26 January) tests the world’s best drivers on its legendary and unforgiving stages.
Renowned as one of the most iconic and demanding fixtures on the calendar, Rallye Monte-Carlo’s mix of hairpin bends, high-altitude passes and unpredictable grip levels on surfaces ranging from dry asphalt to treacherous ice makes it one of the sport’s ultimate challenges. For crews and engineers, the weather forecast is just as important as the pace notes, with sudden changes able to rewrite the script in an instant.
At the heart of it all is reigning world champion Thierry Neuville, who begins his title defence in style. After a stellar 2024 season that saw him clinch his maiden crown, Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe return to Monaco in their Hyundai i20 N Rally1 sporting the coveted number one.
Victory on this very event last year set the tone for their championship-winning campaign, but 2025 introduces an exciting new dynamic in Hankook Tires, debuting as the WRC’s exclusive supplier. Initial feedback from today’s shakedown, topped by Neuville’s team-mate Ott Tänak, confirms the South Korean brand is more than ready for the challenge of the WRC.
Hyundai Motorsport fields a three-car line-up with Neuville and Estonian star Tänak joined by rising talent Adrien Fourmaux. Fourmaux, fresh from a breakthrough 2024 season where he secured five podiums with M-Sport Ford, makes his debut with the team after an eye-catching off-season move.
Reigning manufacturers’ champions Toyota GAZOO Racing have upped the ante with a five-strong GR Yaris Rally1 squad. French legend Sébastien Ogier returns to chase an unprecedented 10th Rallye Monte-Carlo victory, supported by two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä and Welsh ace Elfyn Evans. Additional cars will be piloted by Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari, who captured last year’s WRC2 title and embarks on his first full campaign in rallying’s top tier alongside returning co-driver Marko Salminen.
Meanwhile, M-Sport Ford turns the spotlight on Grégoire Munster, now the British outfit's lead driver in his second full Rally1 season. Irishman Josh McErlean makes his debut in the top class after standout performances in WRC2, partnering Munster in the team’s second Puma Rally1.
Adding more intrigue to 2025 is a streamlined points system that puts a sharper emphasis on rally wins. Points will now be awarded to the top 10 finishers, with bonuses available for Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage performances increasing the maximum score per rally to 35.
The rally officially starts on Thursday (23 January) afternoon in Monaco’s iconic Casino Square, followed by three gripping night-time stages through the French Alps. Competitors then face three more intense days of action before the rally concludes back in Monaco on Sunday afternoon.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.
25-01-23 Solberg kör fullt VM-program i rally
För första gången kommer Oliver Solberg att köra alla tävlingar i rally-VM. Fjolårets silvermedaljör inleder jakten på VM-pokalen i WRC2-klassen med säsongsinledningen i Monte-Carlo på torsdag.
23-åringen inleder säsongen med ett nytt team och en ny bil. Solberg bytte nyligen till världens största biltillverkare i sitt försök att bli världsmästare med det finska Printsport-teamet. Han kommer att köra en Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 i WRC 2-klassen – vilket är sportens näst högsta nivå.
Utvecklingsarbetet på bilen har utförts av Toyota Gazoo Racing.
– Vi testade lite innan jul och sista veckan innan säsongsstart och har redan en bra uppfattning om hur Toyotan går. Den känns riktigt bra, är snabb, skön att köra och helt klart en trecylindrig motor. Den sista var lite annorlunda.
Årets VM-resa startar från Casino Square i Monaco på torsdag. Den traditionella tävlingen startar från Medelhavskusten, upp genom snön och isen i de franska Alperna och avslutas tillbaka i solskenet fyra dagar senare.
– Efter testerna vi har gjort och tiden med alla från Printsport känner jag mig redo för Monte-Carlo och det kommande året. Det var skönt att ta lite semester för att ladda batterierna, men jag tror att alla vet att den här sporten aldrig är långt borta från mig.
För första gången tävlar 23-åringen i hela mästerskapet – alla 14 tävlingarna.
– Det här är en fantastisk upplevelse för mig och något jag alltid har drömt om. Mycket spännande ligger framför oss, säger Oliver Solberg.
Efter att ha missat förra årets WRC2-titel med tre poäng, är målet för Oliver och co-driver Elliott Edmondson att vinna VM-titeln i rally.
– Vi var nära förra året och kommer att slutföra jobbet 2025. Men vi behöver också skaffa oss erfarenhet i de nya tävlingarna på Gran Canaria, Spanien, i Paraguay och Saudiarabien. Målet är att utmana och kämpa för att få en plats i Rally1.
Solberg och Edmondson har valt bort Rally Monte-Carlo att köra för poäng i kampen om VM-titeln. Precis som förra året räknas bara sju av tävlingarna de kör i VM-sammandraget.
– Vi föredrar att slåss om poäng i rallyn där vi har mer erfarenhet, konstaterar Oliver Solberg.
Rally-VM 2025
Rallye Monte-Carlo (23-26 januari)
Rally Sweden (13-16 februari)
Safari Rally Kenya (20-23 mars)
Rally Islas Canarias (24-27 april)
Rally de Portugal (15-18 maj)
Rally Italia Sardegna (5-8 juni)
Acropolis Rally Grekland (26-29 juni)
Rally Estonia (17-20 juli)
Rally Finland (31 juli – 3 augusti)
Rally del Paraguay (28-31 augusti)
Rally Chile (11–14 september)
Central European Rally (16-19 oktober)
Rally Japan (6-9 november)
Rally Saudiarabien (27–30 november)
25-01-20 Stars of the WRC herald in 2025 among the glitz of Monaco
WRC welcomed in the 2025 season on Sunday evening, highlighting off-season changes and an all-new tyre partner.
The stars of the FIA World Rally Championship shone bright on Sunday night as the 2025 season was officially launched in front of the sparkling backdrop of the iconic Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Before beginning proceedings, the sincere sympathies of the WRC community were passed to the family, friends and colleagues of His Excellency Mr. Didier Guillaume, serving Minister of state of Monaco, who sadly passed away on the 17 January.
Led by dignitaries FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Hankook Tire Motorsport Senior Director Manfred Sandbichler, WRC Promoter Managing Director Jona Siebel, Automobile Club de Monaco General Commissioner Eric Barrabino and SBM Director General Albert Manzone, there were a number of notable firsts to headline the launch. This included new world champion Thierry Neuville sporting the number one on the window of his Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team i20 N Rally1.
Speaking on the evening, the 36-year-old Belgian said, "Seeing the number one on the car for the full season now, we will never forget 2024. Nevertheless, it is a new season starting, all counters are on zero again which means we need to have the same motivation and spirit to fight hard and try and defend our title.
There was additionally a new look to the driver line-up, with Adrien Fourmaux now sporting the colours of Hyundai, Sami Pajari appearing as a full-time driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team and Josh McErlean making his first appearance in M-Sport Ford overalls, just days out from his Rally1 debut.
Appearing on stage following team-mate Gregoire Munster, Irishman McErlean admitted to being ‘privileged’ to be stood on the ramp. “Obviously, it is a dream come true, it will be a big year of learning, these cars are incredible.”
From leading driver in 2024 at M-Sport Ford, Frenchman Fourmaux will be bookended by world champions Neuville and Estonia’s Ott Tänak at Hyundai. “I am feeling really excited, it is a big challenge for us with a new car, a new team and new tyres – we want to continue in the way we were going last year.”
Joining Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä as a full-time driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing, former FIA Junior WRC champion Pajari has a wealth of experience to call upon in the Toyota garage Asked if he was feeling pressure with his increased role, the Finn opined: “At least not yet, that will come on Thursday evening, just really really looking forward to the season.”
The experience at Toyota will be further bolstered when legendary eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier turns out on selected rounds for the Japanese marque, including on the season-opener as he targets a record 10th Monte victory.
It was also a milestone evening for the event’s co-hosts Hankook Tire, who are about to endeavour on their first-ever journey in the WRC. Speaking on behalf of Hankook, Sandbichler said: “For Hankook Tire, today is a milestone because the legend starts today. This is a really strong competition and we will do everything we can to make the story successful.”
A former WRC competitor himself, FIA President Ben Sulayem said: “To us at the FIA this championship is very dear, it is one of the pillars we have and I can see a good future for the WRC."
WRC Promoter’s Jona Siebel spoke of the importance of the season-opening Monte Carlo to the championship. “It’s a unique brand, full of emotions, heritage and passion – it is a privilege for us to get to start here,” he expressed.
Rallye Monte-Carlo officially starts on Thursday in the same location as Sunday night’s festivities, when all competitors cross the ceremonial start before heading high into the French Alps for three fan-laden stages in the dark, before eventually making their way back to Monte-Carlo on Sunday afternoon where the winner will be crowned.
It marks the beginning of 11 months of action which will see competitors cross four continents to tackle snow, ice, asphalt, dirt and gravel in their mission to be crowned world champions. The full 2025 calendar can be accessed here.
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