| Evans’ late drama opens the door to Ogier and Fourmaux while keeping the title fight wide open. |
| Oliver Solberg claimed a superb Rally Chile BIOBÍO victory on Sunday as Toyota GAZOO Racing secured a sixth consecutive FIA World Rally Championship manufacturers’ crown and a record-equalling 10th in total.Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson completed a composed three-day performance to beat nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier by 16.6sec, with Adrien Fourmaux taking third for Hyundai 33.3sec from the lead.The result capped another landmark weekend for Toyota. Having arrived in Chile requiring only seven points to make the manufacturers’ championship mathematically secure, the Japanese marque wrapped up the title with two rounds still remaining.It is Toyota’s sixth successive manufacturers’ championship, extending an unbeaten run dating back to 2021, and its 10th overall. That draws Toyota level with Lancia as the most successful manufacturer in WRC title history. Lancia’s own run of six consecutive crowns from 1987 to 1992 had also stood as the benchmark for sustained domination.Toyota’s championship story in the WRC now spans more than three decades. Its first manufacturers’ crown came in 1993, followed by titles in 1994 and 1999. After returning to the championship in 2017, it added another in 2018 before beginning its current streak in 2021.Solberg’s victory provided an emphatic way to mark that milestone.The 24-year-old took the lead on Friday’s opening stage and, aside from briefly surrendering it to Elfyn Evans after SS2, controlled the rally through constantly changing conditions, abrasive roads and demanding tyre management.It was his third WRC victory and second of 2026 following his season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo triumph, adding to the breakthrough success he achieved on his Rally1 Toyota debut in Estonia last year.He began Sunday 19.1sec clear of Evans but immediately came under renewed pressure when the championship leader won the opening Carampangue test, cutting the gap to 13.2sec.Solberg answered on the first pass of BIOBÍO, remarkably winning the stage despite sustaining right-rear tyre damage and extending his advantage back to 14.5sec.Then came the moment which dramatically altered both the rally and the drivers’ championship.Evans, running second and seemingly on course for another important podium, stopped to change a wheel on the penultimate Carampangue stage. More than two minutes disappeared and the Welshman tumbled to fifth overall.Ogier inherited second while Fourmaux moved into third, leaving Solberg with 13.3sec in hand heading to the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage.There was no easing off. Solberg went fastest again by 0.5sec over Evans to seal the victory in style.“It’s been an unbelievable weekend,” he said. “It’s been up and down, but the team always supported, always pushed, always believed.“Finally a little bit of luck was on my side, and I could just focus on my job and do my thing. The little details matter, and this weekend was a perfect, perfect weekend.” |
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