WRC 2026 result after Round 1: Rally Monte-Carlo

Toyota Gazoo Racing launched its 2026 FIA World Rally Championship campaign in resounding fashion. In his first season in Toyota’s Rally1 line-up, Swedish rally prodigy Oliver Solberg secured a stunning victory on an incredibly challenging Rallye Monte-Carlo, leading Elfyn Evans and Sébastien Ogier in an all-Toyota podium lockout. How did this 2026 WRC result play out? Read on as we introduce the latest GR Yaris Rally1 car and review each day’s activities.

Introducing the 2026 GR Yaris Rally1

For this fifth and final season of Rally1 regulations, the FIA allowed teams to make minor technical updates to their car’s specifications – known as ‘homologation jokers’. Toyota spent its three available jokers to focus on developments around the vehicle’s aerodynamics and suspension. As a result, only three of the GR Yaris Rally1 cars that competed in Rally Monte-Carlo featured these revisions, while all five entries sported TGR’s striking new red, white and black livery.

WRC 2026 result: Rally Monte-Carlo

Rallye Monte-Carlo is famed for its changeable weather conditions, which usually brings ice and snow to the underlying asphalt roads. Tyre choice is crucial, with a wider range of rubber available to suit the conditions. This year’s rally started and finished in Monaco’s harbour and, for the first time since 2008, included a super special stage using part of the principality’s grand prix circuit.

Day 1

After the new-look 2026 GR Yaris Rally1 cars made their public debut in the opening ceremony on the harbourfront of Monaco, the crews headed straight into the surrounding mountains. Here, in familiarly wet conditions, Elfyn Evans set the initial pace. The British driver claimed the lead by 5.6 seconds over new team-mate Oliver Solberg and some 12 seconds over world champion Sébastien Ogier.

The action then moved further north through the French Alps into two night stages and the wintery, high-alititude conditions expected of Rallye Monte-Carlo. Solberg (above) and British co-driver Elliott Edmondson set a stunning time in the ice and slushy snow, going an incredible 31.1 seconds faster than anyone else to claim the rally lead. Ogier was quickest through the evening’s third and final stage, which was ultimately red-flagged due to thick fog, but Solberg remained in the lead, coming 44.2 seconds ahead over Evans, forming an impressive top three lockout for Toyota.

Day 2

In the event’s first full day of competition, Solberg showed no sign of letting off the pace. Despite the roads being covered in a challenging cocktail of snow, ice, rain and mud, the young Swede won the first stage of the morning loop by more than 19 seconds. He then conceded a little over 27 seconds in the next stage following a slow loss of tyre pressure, and was fastest once again in the third by almost nine seconds. This impressive performance increased his lead to over a minute by the mid-day service. Solberg then scored another stage win in the afternoon loop and ended the day with an overall advantage of 68 seconds.

In the stages where Solberg wasn’t fastest, Toyota’s other drivers were. Evans was quickest in the day’s second stage and remained second overall throughout the day. Meanwhile, third-placed Ogier won the last two stages as darkness descended and he closed to within 6.5 seconds of Evans, once again consolidating Toyota’s strong one-two-three finish.

WRC 2026 result: Day 3

Heavy overnight snow brought some of the most difficult conditions so far for the day’s three mountain stages. Starting the day with a lead of 68 seconds, Solberg was able to slow his pace and concede a little time to Ogier through the treacherous first test, which also happened to be the longest of the entire rally. However, he was pedal to the metal on the next, and outpaced second-placed and second-fastest Evans by a little over 11 seconds.

After the mid-day service, the loop was repeated, this time with inconsistent surface grip – switching between ice, slush and grippier underlying asphalt. Several drivers slid off, including Solberg, but he managed to find his way back to the road and still win the stage. The day ended with a super special stage (above) that used part of Monaco’s grand prix circuit. Heavy rain made the conditions extremely slippery, and because of this it was clear that most drivers decided not to give it their all. But in the end, front-runner Solberg made it around safely and finished the day with a lead of 59.3 seconds.

Day 4

For the final day the crews returned to the mountains above Monaco. Predictably, this elevated position, which included the iconic Col de Turini, brought more challenging snow and ice conditions – for many, the most difficult they had ever experienced on this rally. Eager to seize the win and become the youngest ever Rally Monte-Carlo champion, 24-year-old Solberg pushed hard. There were some heart-in-mouth moments when he went wide on a couple of corners but the Swedish driver eventually secured his historic win by a comfortable 51.8 seconds. It was Toyota’s seventh ever Monte-Carlo win.

Evans and co-driver Scott Martin (above) finished second to score their fifth Monte-Carlo podium from seven attempts with Toyota. The pair also won the rally-ending Power Stage by 6.5 seconds over Solberg, and came second in the Super Sunday classification to start the season with a strong points haul. Snapping at Evans’s heels throughout the event were Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais. In finishing third – Ogier’s 15th podium from 17 Monte-Carlo starts – Toyota became the first manufacturer since 2015 to create such a podium lockout.

WRC 2026 result in Round 1: Rally Monte-Carlo

WRC 2026 championship: drivers and co-drivers

WRC 2026 championship: manufacturers

WRC 2026: Where next?

Round two is Rally Sweden, the only full winter event of the season. To manage the snow and ice, studded tyres are used to bite into the slippery surface. This provides enough grip to deliver some of the highest speeds and most spectacular racing of the entire championship.

Learn more: How did last year’s WRC end for Toyota?