Toyota Targets Rally Sweden Led by Championship Leader Solberg

WRC, Sportrik Media - Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team arrives at Rally Sweden on 12–15 February as the benchmark team, with home hero Oliver Solberg leading the FIA World Rally Championship standings ahead of the series’ only pure snow and ice event.

Solberg produced a stunning start to his debut season with Toyota by leading a dominant 1-2-3 finish at last month’s Rallye Monte Carlo. The result placed the Swedish driver at the top of the championship standings and delivered an immediate statement of intent from the Japanese manufacturer.

After tackling some of the most demanding winter conditions seen in Monte Carlo for many years, crews now move to the fastest event on the WRC calendar. Rally Sweden’s snow and ice stages rely on studded tyres biting into the surface, allowing exceptionally high speeds, while snowbanks lining the roads can be used to maintain momentum through corners.

Solberg, born in Sweden and competing under his mother Pernilla’s nationality, heads into his home rally with a four-point lead over team-mate Elfyn Evans. The Welshman is a two-time Rally Sweden winner and claimed victory at the event 12 months ago following a dramatic final-day battle.

Toyota’s Rally1 line-up is completed by Takamoto Katsuta, who has consistently shown strong pace on snow, while Finland’s Sami Pajari competes under the TGR-WRT2 banner, aiming to reset after a challenging Monte Carlo outing.

Although Rally Sweden is not part of Sebastien Ogier’s programme, Toyota will once again field five GR Yaris Rally1 cars. Italian driver Lorenzo Bertelli returns via the customer programme for his third Rally Sweden appearance in four years.

Toyota’s presence extends strongly into Rally2, with Yuki Yamamoto continuing his full season in a GR Yaris Rally2 car. He is one of 13 drivers competing in the model, alongside names such as Teemu Suninen, Roope Korhonen, Tuukka Kauppinen and Australian Taylor Gill.

Since 2022, Rally Sweden has been based in Umea, northern Sweden, a short journey across the Gulf of Bothnia from Toyota’s Finnish base. The move closer to the Arctic Circle has ensured consistently colder temperatures and faster roads. The rally begins on Thursday evening with a full-length 10.23-kilometre Umea stage, followed by forest loops, sprint stages, and a Power Stage finale on Sunday.

“Rally Sweden is our only pure winter rally of the season and it can offer phenomenal conditions that drivers truly love,” said Jari-Matti Latvala.
“For the first time in over 30 years, a Swedish driver is leading the championship, and hopefully Oliver will bring even more fans to the rally.”

“Starting first on the road can be challenging depending on conditions,” he added.
“But it is still possible to win from there, as Elfyn proved last year.”

Evans underlined the importance of weather and road conditions in shaping the outcome.

“Rally Sweden is a unique event and usually a lot of fun to drive,” Evans said.
“If we get solid icy conditions, it should be possible to challenge from our road position.”

For Solberg, leading the championship into his home event carries special significance.

“To arrive at my home rally leading the championship is something I could never have dreamed of,” Solberg said.
“Rally Sweden has always been my favourite event, and these conditions are the most fun you can have in a rally car.”

Katsuta, Pajari and Yamamoto all highlighted their comfort on snow and ice, with each targeting a strong performance as Toyota aims to consolidate its early championship advantage.

With extreme speeds, narrow margins for error and the pressure of championship leadership, Rally Sweden represents a crucial early test for Toyota and Oliver Solberg. The outcome in Umea is expected to play a significant role in shaping the direction of the WRC title fight as the season moves away from winter conditions.