WRC

Rally Chile Biobío 2026 – Solberg wins, Toyota crowned 2026 World Rally Champion

What a team, what a car, what a season! Oliver Solberg (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) won the Rally Chile, while Toyota secured its tenth World Rally Championship title with two rounds of the season still to go.

Following his victory at the Monte Carlo Rally, Sweden's Oliver Solberg managed to hold onto his lead on the final day in Chile, claiming the third WRC win of his career. Sébastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) finished just 16 seconds behind, while Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20 Rally1) had to settle for the final spot on the podium.

Sami Pajari (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) took fourth place ahead of Elfyn Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1); Evans had been forced to change a wheel during a special stage yesterday, a mishap that cost him over two minutes. Nevertheless, Evans retained the championship lead, though his advantage over Sami Pajari has shrunk to 17 points with two events remaining in the season.

The battle for second place took a dramatic turn on the penultimate stage when Evans was forced to stop to change a wheel, losing over two minutes and dropping from second to fifth place.

Ogier, a nine-time world champion, won that stage—finishing 5.4 seconds ahead of Fourmaux—to move up to second place, while the Hyundai driver climbed to the final spot on the podium.

Solberg entered the final stage with a 13.3-second lead over Ogier and sealed the victory by setting the fastest time on the 'Power Stage,' beating Evans by half a second.

"It was an unbelievable weekend. We’ve had a season of ups and downs, but the team supported us and always believed in us. This was a perfect weekend," the Swede said.

Oliver Solberg fined €1,500 for removing his gloves too early...Oliver Solberg (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) leaves Chile with a gold medal, but also something else: a €1,500 fine for an unusual infraction.

A special stage does not end simply when the car passes the "photocell" and the stage time is recorded; it concludes only when the car reaches the designated time control. The driver and co-driver must wear their full protective gear until they reach the red board marking the so-called "time control."

The Rally Chile winner and Toyota factory driver removed his gloves twice before reaching the "stop control." He did so on Friday after Special Stage 3, resulting in a €500 fine from the stewards. Toyota did not appeal the decision and acknowledged the error was the driver's fault. On Saturday, Solberg repeated the mistake after Special Stage 9. As it was a repeat offense, the stewards imposed a €1,000 fine. Toyota once again confirmed it accepted the decision.

Fortunately, these penalties will not affect the final rally standings. Solberg remains the winner of Rally Chile, having secured nearly the maximum number of points. The 24-year-old Swede leaves Chile with 34 points, putting him back in contention for the title. With two events remaining in the season, Solberg has 209 points, while championship leader Elfyn Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) has 230 points. Sami Pajari (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) holds second place in the championship with 213 points. 

Rally Chile Biobio 2026 - Objective:

1. Oliver Solberg / Elliott Edmondson Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2:57:08.2

2. Sebastien Ogier / Vincent Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +16.6

3. Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +33.3

4. Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1:33.9

5. Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +2:22.3

6. Esapekka Lappi / Enni Mälkönen Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +5:07.0

7. Josh McErlean / Eoin Treacy Ford Puma Rally1 +7:31.5

8. Yohan Rossel / Arnaud Dunand Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale +9:31.0

9. Robert Virves / Jakko Viilo Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 +10:24.0

10. Gus Greensmith / Jonas Andersson Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +10:58.2

by Autonews