Oliver Solberg delivered a stunning performance on the opening day of Rally Chile 2026, leading the standings after six special stages. The Swedish driver set the fastest time in SS1 and SS6, while his rivals took turns winning stages. Elfyn Evans, the championship leader, had to settle for second, 10.1 seconds adrift.
Katsuta Out, Solberg vs Evans Heats Up
Takamoto Katsuta crashed out immediately in SS1, his Toyota sliding off the road and down a ravine. Fortunately, no spectators were in the area. The incident mirrored his misfortune in Paraguay, where he also retired due to his own error. From then on, the battle was between Solberg and Evans. Overnight rain made the tracks slippery and treacherous, adding to the challenge.
Solberg laid down the gauntlet by winning SS1. However, Evans responded in SS2 with the fastest time, closing the gap. The morning ended with a strong performance from Thierry Neuville, who won SS3. Nevertheless, Solberg held the overall lead by just two seconds over Evans.
Five Different Stage Winners, Solberg Stays on Top
In SS4 to SS6, Toyota's dominance grew. Sami Pajari won SS4, followed by Sebastien Ogier in SS5. Solberg then closed the day with victory in SS6, extending his lead to 10 seconds over Evans. Adrien Fourmaux of Hyundai was the best of the rest in third, 18 seconds back.
Interestingly, five different drivers won stages on the first day, highlighting the competitiveness of this year's Rally Chile. Solberg, Evans, Neuville, Pajari, and Ogier all set fastest times on at least one stage. Consistency is key, and so far Solberg has been the most reliable.
Behind the top three, Ogier and Pajari followed in fourth and fifth. Neuville, who won SS3, had to settle for sixth, 27.4 seconds adrift. Meanwhile, Joshua McErlean (Ford) led the WRC2 group in seventh, followed by teammate Jon Armstrong. Esapekka Lappi (Hyundai) and Nikolay Gryazin (Lancia) completed the top ten.
With many stages remaining, the fight for victory is far from over. Evans, who leads the drivers' championship, will not give up easily. However, Solberg has sent a clear message that he is serious about claiming his first win of the season. Rally Chile is still long, and the tough South American terrain will be the ultimate test.
Read Also
Oliver Solberg leads Rally Chile after SS6, 10.1 seconds ahead of Elfyn Evans. Fourmaux third, with Ogier and Pajari close behind. Read the full analysis.
Conner Martell will replace Travis Pastrana at Subaru Motorsports USA for Overmountain Rally Tennessee. Read the full analysis and its impact on the ARA championship battle.
Takamoto Katsuta explains the cause of his SS1 off at Rally Chile 2026. The Toyota driver got stuck in a muddy ditch and will restart on Saturday.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!