Dubai, UAE – 28 January 2026: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) opened the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season with a historic one-two-three finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo, led by a breakthrough victory from Oliver Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson in the No. 99 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1.
Solberg was joined on the podium by teammates Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin in second place in the No. 33 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1, followed by third-place winners Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais in the No. 1 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1. Together, they secured Toyota’s first-ever podium lockout at the iconic season opener and the first single-manufacturer sweep at the event since 2015.
Following this opening round, TGR-WRT currently occupies the top three positions in the drivers’ championship standings. Toyota also leads the manufacturers’ championship with a total of 59 points.
Akio Toyoda, TGR-WRT Chairman, commented: “Oliver and Elliott, congratulations on your victory! I never thought that I would be able to say congratulations to you for the second time so soon. I am happy to have such reliable team-mates join the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT family. I also want to thank Elfyn, Scott, Seb, and Vincent for making a 1-2-3 finish in this season opener.”
Toyoda added: “Thank you to everyone on the team for achieving the best possible results on such difficult roads and conditions. I believe we will face many tough situations this season as well. Let’s continue making ever-better cars on various roads.”
Competing in his first full season with TGR-WRT’s Rally1 line-up, Solberg delivered a commanding performance across one of the most demanding editions of Rallye Monte-Carlo in recent memory. The 24-year-old took control of the rally from the second stage of the opening leg and went on to become the youngest winner of Rallye Monte-Carlo in the modern era, as well as the first member of his family to claim victory at the legendary event.
The win also marked Solberg’s second victory in just his first two starts with the Toyota GR YARIS Rally1, following his debut triumph at Rally Estonia, underlining a remarkable start to his tenure with the team.
As the rally progressed, crews faced constantly changing conditions across stages in the French Alps and the mountains above Monaco, with snow, ice, rain, mud, and very limited dry asphalt. Despite the treacherous surfaces and several close calls, Solberg maintained composure throughout the event and ultimately secured victory by a 51.8-second margin.
On the final day, Evans and Martin delivered a strong and consistent drive to finish second, claiming their fifth Rallye Monte-Carlo podium together with TGR-WRT. The duo also topped the rally-ending Power Stage and placed second in the Super Sunday classification, ensuring a valuable points haul at the season’s opening round.
Ogier and Landais completed the podium in third after a closely fought battle across the latter stages of the rally, securing Ogier’s 15th Rallye Monte-Carlo podium finish from 17 starts and reinforcing Toyota’s dominance at the event.
Over the years, Toyota has been participating in many different forms of motorsports, including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race. Toyota’s participation in these events was overseen by separate entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota established TGR, to consolidate all of its motorsports activities under one in-house brand. Representing Toyota’s belief that ‘the roads build the people, and the people build the cars,’ TGR highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar of Toyota’s commitment to making ‘ever-better’ cars. Harnessing years of experience gained under the extreme conditions of various motorsports events, TGR aims to forge new technologies and solutions that bring the freedom, adventure, and joy of driving to everyone.
Round two of the 2026 FIA WRC is Rally Sweden (February 12-15), the only full winter event of the season. Held entirely across snow and ice, rally demands sharp tyre strategy, precise vehicle control, and unyielding driver confidence in extreme winter conditions.
Race Notes:
- No. 99 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson)
- Position: 1st
- Time: 4 hours, 24 minutes, and 59.0 seconds
- No. 33 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin)
- Position: 2nd
- Time: 4 hours, 25 minutes, and 50.8 seconds
- No. 1 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais)
- Position: 3rd
- Time: 4 hours, 27 minutes, and 01.2 seconds