Toyota Drivers Sweep Podium at Rally Italia Sardegna
Toyota Gazoo Racing locked out the podium in the final round of the 2026 World Rally Championship season.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Motorsports
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Toyota Gazoo Racing secured a first, second, and third place finish at Rally Italia Sardegna to cap off a dominant season. Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin clinched the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship titles following a final Power Stage showdown.
Why it matters
The sweep underscores a historic season for the Toyota GR YARIS Rally1, which won 12 of the 13 rallies held this year. This final round success officially finalized the championship standings ahead of an upcoming shift in technical regulations.
Toyota's GR-WRT clinched its sixth consecutive manufacturers title with 662 points, while the GR YARIS Rally1 recorded 12 victories in 13 races. Sébastien Ogier added to his tally with his 121st career podium finish.
The players
Elfyn Evans
He is the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship drivers champion who clinched the title during the final Power Stage.
Toyota Gazoo Racing
This is the factory team that secured its sixth consecutive manufacturers championship title in 2026.
Sébastien Ogier
A veteran rally driver who achieved his 121st career WRC podium finish at the Sardinia rally.
Oliver Solberg
He was the winning driver of the Rally Italia Sardegna event before going off the road in the final stage.
The details
Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson finished first, followed by Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais in second, and Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen in third. Evans secured his title by outperforming Solberg, who went off the road during the final stage.
Timeline
The 2026 WRC season concluded with the final rally in Sardinia.
New technical regulations for WRC vehicles take effect in 2027.
Season Trajectory
This dominant performance closes the book on the current homologation cycle for the GR YARIS Rally1 platform. The team now turns its attention to 2027, when new technical regulations will mandate a complete redesign of the competition vehicles.
The final standings confirm Toyota's dominance with 12 wins out of 13 races, setting a high bar for competitors heading into the 2027 season. Fantasy participants and followers of the sport will note that the team has now successfully defended its manufacturer crown for six straight years.
The takeaway
Toyota's success highlights the critical importance of consistency and mechanical reliability over a grueling 13-round season. Fans should look for significant performance shifts in 2027 as manufacturers adapt their engineering strategies to comply with updated technical rules.
Further reading
Find more updates on the upcoming season in the Motorsports section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Al Bawaba.
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