This landmark victory marks the third time in recent history that a manufacturer has filled all podium places in consecutive rounds of the WRC
Toyota leads the points table for the coveted 2026 Manufacturers’ Championship with 117 points
Dubai, UAE – 18 February 2026: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) has secured a landmark victory at Rally Sweden, displaying pure class and dominance to clinch a stellar 1-2-3-4 finish. The emphatic win marks only the third time in recent history when a manufacturer has filled all podium places at two consecutive rounds of the World Rally Championship. The team had previously secured a 1-2-3 finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo just last month.
The unforgettable triumph at Rally Sweden was spearheaded by the amazing performance of Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin in the No. 33 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1. This also marks their second consecutive victory at the only pure winter round and their third Swedish success overall. The top podium finisher was closely challenged by Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston, Sami Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen, and Oliver Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson, who finished in second, third, and fourth place in the No. 18, No. 5, and No. 99 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1, respectively.
Commending the team’s incredible performance, Akio Toyoda, TGR-WRT Chairman, commented: “Elfyn, Scott, congratulations on becoming the snow rally champions for two years in a row! Elfyn took the victory, with Takamoto in second. Thanks to Sami in third and Oliver in fourth, we achieved the 1-2-3-4 finish. I’m sure Oliver wanted to get onto the podium at his home rally in Sweden as well. For Sami, I think he reset himself after Monte Carlo and came to this rally determined. This podium must have given him a lot of confidence.”
Toyoda added: “Even for a team that has its home in Finland, rallying in such severe cold must have been very tough for all. I would like to thank everyone for the hard work. The next event is in Kenya in a month, and that will be an incredible change in temperature. I believe Jari-Matti and Juha will take good care of the team and I hope everybody in the team stays healthy and safe.”
The victory of Evans and co-driver Martin came after an exciting battle with team-mate Katsuta that went down to the rally-ending power Stage on the final day. Katsuta put up a tough fight and initially commanded the lead against Evans but then fell short by 14.3 seconds in the last leg to finish second on the podium for the second consecutive Rally Sweden and for the eighth time in his WRC career.
For young Finnish driver Pajari, a podium finish at Rally Sweden marked a remarkable comeback after a difficult Rallye Monte-Carlo. Sweden’s own Solberg delivered a strong performance to finish fourth, contributing to TGR-WRT scripting history in the WRC.
With this remarkable win, Toyota reigns at the top of the manufacturers’ table at the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship with a strong total of 117 points after round two. The next round will take the team to the legendary Safari Rally Kenya, taking place from March 12–15. The only African round of the WRC, the race is renowned for its gruelling conditions on rough and rocky roads, as well as high speeds across open plains.
Over the years, Toyota has participated 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.
Race Notes:
No. 33 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin)
Position: 1st
Time: 2 hours, 35 minutes, and 53.1 seconds
No. 18 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston)
Position: 2nd
Time: 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 7.4 seconds
No. 5 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen)
Position: 3rd
Time: 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 39.1 seconds
No. 99 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson)
Position: 4thF
Time: 2 hours, 37 minutes, and 4.7 seconds
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Dominates Rally Sweden with 1-2-3-4 Finish
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