Toyota Favourites Heading into Rally Sweden 2026

WRC, Sportrik Media – Toyota Gazoo Racing heads into Rally Sweden 2026 as the clear favourite, with nearly its entire driver line-up considered leading contenders for victory on the fast snow stages.

Oliver Solberg, Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta have all demonstrated strong form in Sweden in recent seasons, raising expectations once again for Toyota on one of the championship’s most specialised winter events.

“These snowy conditions have always been a strength for us and, of course, the drivers enjoy them as well,” said team principal Jari-Matti Latvala.

Latvala acknowledged the potential threat from Thierry Neuville, who has historically been competitive on snow, and the experience of Esapekka Lappi, a previous winner in Sweden. However, he suggested the prevailing conditions are more naturally suited to Toyota’s roster.

“For Adrien Fourmaux this is a slightly less familiar surface, but let’s put it this way: these conditions are more familiar to all of our drivers. I’m quite confident. Everyone was fairly satisfied,” Latvala continued.

In Umeå, conditions are close to ideal for a winter rally, with temperatures below freezing and clear skies. Such circumstances can favour the early starters, particularly when the road surface firms up under sub-zero temperatures.

“That’s absolutely true. When it’s slightly below zero, it firms up the road surface a bit. Oliver now has a very good starting position to push, but the decisive factor is the second pass. It’s difficult to drive in those ruts. You can still lose around 20 seconds there, but if it goes beyond half a minute, it’s very difficult to claw that back nowadays,” Latvala analysed.

Katsuta’s consistent performances in Sweden have positioned him as a potential dark horse, while Evans also arrives with strong credentials, having won the event last year.

“Absolutely! He has driven well here. Elfyn has also been strong. He won here last year. I would say our boys are very strong here. We’ll see how Hyundai get on. Esapekka didn’t compete here last year, so in that sense he doesn’t have the easiest starting point. With Thierry, it depends a bit on the day,” Latvala predicted.

Solberg has been widely tipped as the favourite for victory on home soil, and Latvala believes the Swede is capable of delivering.

“They will certainly be going for the win here. That’s his target. If the freezing conditions continue, that starting position might even offer a slight advantage. On the second pass you just have to accept that the line is narrower and driving becomes more challenging.”

With optimal winter conditions and depth across its driver line-up, Toyota enters Rally Sweden 2026 in a strategically strong position as it seeks to consolidate its early-season momentum in the World Rally Championship.