WRC, Sportrik Media - Oliver Solberg of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT admitted he was not deserving of a podium at Rally Sweden 2026 after finishing fourth, nearly half a minute behind third place.
Arriving in Umeå as the Monte Carlo Rally winner, Solberg faced the unenviable task of running first on the road in heavy snow conditions at the second round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Clearing loose snow from the surface proved a decisive disadvantage. Although he led after Thursday night’s opening stage, a stall on stage two and two separate off-road excursions on the Andersvattnet test compromised his overall momentum.
“I put a lot of expectations on myself, but this weekend was a good learning curve to understand what it’s like to be first on the road,” Solberg said.
“I didn’t expect it to be that difficult or that slippery. After Friday, I have to be happy with P4. I don’t think I deserved more.”
By the end of Friday, Solberg had slipped to sixth, 51 seconds off the lead. He recovered positions by passing the Hyundai Motorsport entries of Esapekka Lappi and Adrien Fourmaux, but he was unable to significantly reduce the gap to his Toyota team-mates. His deficit to rally winner Elfyn Evans extended to 1m11.6s by the finish.
“I never really found the feeling or rhythm throughout the weekend,” he added.
“I didn’t want to force it because I never had that confidence in the grip. It was tricky.”
Sweden had been widely regarded as the event where Solberg’s potential in the GR Yaris Rally1 would shine, particularly compared to Monte Carlo. However, he pointed to limited preparation time, his first experience leading the road order, and significantly heavier snow than the previous year as constraining factors.
Fourth place in Sweden, combined with third in the Sunday classification and fourth on the Power Stage, leaves Solberg 13 points behind new championship leader Evans. Meanwhile, Sébastien Ogier has dropped to sixth in the standings, 42 points off the lead after skipping the Swedish round.
With two contrasting rallies shaping the early season narrative, the 2026 WRC title fight is beginning to reveal its complexity. The championship now moves to its next round, where adapting to different terrain characteristics will once again define the competitive order.
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