TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team secured a historic 1-2-3-4 finish at Rally Sweden on February 18, 2026, marking only the third time in recent history that a manufacturer has filled all podium places at two consecutive World Rally Championship rounds. The team had previously achieved a 1-2-3 finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo last month.
Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin led the victory in the No. 33 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1, securing their second consecutive win at the winter rally and their third Swedish success overall. Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston finished second, followed by Sami Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen in third, and Oliver Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson in fourth place.
Team Performance and Championship Standing
The victory came after an intense battle between Evans and Katsuta that extended to the rally-ending Power Stage on the final day. Katsuta initially commanded the lead but fell short by 14.3 seconds in the final leg. This marked Katsuta’s second consecutive second-place finish at Rally Sweden and his eighth podium in his WRC career.
Toyota now leads the manufacturers’ table at the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship with 117 points after round two. The result demonstrates the team’s technical capabilities and driver depth across multiple competitive vehicles.
Driver Achievements at Rally Sweden
Finnish driver Pajari delivered a strong comeback performance after a difficult Rallye Monte-Carlo, securing his podium position with a time of 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 39.1 seconds. Sweden’s Solberg finished fourth with a time of 2 hours, 37 minutes, and 4.7 seconds, contributing to the team’s complete podium sweep.
“Elfyn, Scott, congratulations on becoming the snow rally champions for two years in a row. Thanks to Sami in third and Oliver in fourth, we achieved the 1-2-3-4 finish. Even for a team that has its home in Finland, rallying in such severe cold must have been very tough for all.”
Akio Toyoda, TGR-WRT Chairman
Race Results and Technical Details
Evans and Martin completed the rally in 2 hours, 35 minutes, and 53.1 seconds in their No. 33 GR YARIS Rally1 Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Katsuta and Johnston finished 14.3 seconds behind in the No. 18 vehicle with a time of 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 7.4 seconds. All four Toyota vehicles demonstrated consistent performance throughout the challenging winter conditions.
Future Outlook and Next Championship Round
The team will next compete at Safari Rally Kenya, scheduled for March 12-15, 2026. The African round is known for its demanding conditions on rough and rocky roads, as well as high speeds across open plains. The temperature change from Sweden’s winter conditions will present new challenges for the team and vehicles.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing was established in April 2015 to consolidate all of Toyota’s motorsports activities under one brand. The division participates in Formula One, the World Endurance Championship, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race, using competition experience to develop new technologies for production vehicles.
