In 2026, TOYOTA RACING took a step forward.

In our very first season as TOYOTA RACING, we achieved four victories and won both the manufacturers’ World Championship and the drivers’ World Championship.

It all began with our first victory in Imola.

At Le Mans, strategy, determined driving, and the collective effort of the whole team carried us through 24 intense hours of racing.

At our home race at Fuji Speedway, we turned the support from the grandstands, painted red with our passionate fans, into strength.

At Barcelona, we implemented the capabilities we had built throughout the season into a convincing result.

Each race brought its own challenges.

Even when things did not go as planned, every individual in the team embraced their responsibility, learned from setbacks, and applied those lessons to the next challenge. With each race, the team became stronger.

To everyone who came to the circuit, and to everyone who supported us from around the world, including our valued partners: Thank you very much.

To our drivers, engineers, mechanics, and all team members: I am truly proud of the way you never gave up, united your strengths, and fought until the very end. Thank you.

And to Mike, who brings his racing career to a close at the end of this season. Thank you sincerely for supporting Toyota’s challenge over so many years and for the tremendous contribution you have made to this team.

I would also like to express my sincere respect and gratitude to all our rival teams, and to everyone involved in making these races possible.

Because of you, we are able to compete at the highest level of motorsport and continue pushing the boundaries of our potential.

Morizo-san has fostered both people and technology through motorsport, creating an environment in which each individual can think independently and take on new challenges. That foundation has led us to this new beginning.

The results we achieved in our first season as TOYOTA RACING are not the finish line.

With “For the Engineering Race” in our hearts, we will use the experience gained here to drive our next evolution and continue striving to be the best in the world.

To everyone who helped create this season together with us, thank you very much.

Four wins this season – including the Le Mans 24 Hours and its home race at Fuji Speedway – helped the team secure the manufacturers’ World Championship last month at the penultimate round in Barcelona in its first year competing as TOYOTA RACING.

Going into the final round in Italy, the drivers’ title fight was a contest between the team’s two car crews. The 6 Hours of Monza saw Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa secure the crown in their #8 TR010 HYBRID, finishing in 11th place.

After three wins this season, the #8 crew won their third world title together. For Sébastien and Brendon, this season’s triumph is their fifth World Championship crown, while Ryō takes his third title.

Le Mans winners Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries needed to overcome a 17-point deficit to win the title in their #7 TR010 HYBRID. A difficult competitive situation for both cars at Monza made their task even harder and they finished 12th.

TOYOTA RACING therefore ends the first season of competition for its TR010 HYBRID with four wins and seven podiums to its name. The World Championship double means the team has now won eight manufacturers’ titles and seven drivers’ crowns since its return to WEC in 2012.

The race at Monza proved to be a challenging finale to a highly successful season. The only running in dry conditions this weekend came in qualifying, providing relatively little data on which to base race set-ups and strategies. The #8 started in 14th, while the #7 lined up 17th.

In front of a 75,181-strong weekend crowd, Mike had the honour of taking the start in his last race before retirement after 12 seasons, two titles and 20 wins with the team since joining in 2014.

Both cars pushed hard to move into the points and gained positions. The race featured four safety car periods but was incident-free for the TR010 HYBRIDs until the final 90 minutes. The #7 suffered bodywork damage in contact with a Ford LMGT3 at the first chicane. Kamui was then hit from behind by the #17 Genesis a few laps later at the same corner.

But both cars avoided further drama and took the chequered flag as the sun set over the Temple of Speed to bring a successful 2026 season to a close.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7): “Big congratulations to the whole team and well done to the #8 crew for winning the drivers’ title. We won the big race at Le Mans, our home race at Fuji Speedway, and both World Championships. The team did an amazing job. Thanks for all the effort in Cologne and Higashi-Fuji, as well as the support from Japan, including Morizo-san and Nakajima-san who helped us create this TOYOTA RACING project. It has not always been easy. We didn’t change much internally but we started with a little bit of a different approach and, now at the end of the season, we can say it was really positive. I really appreciate all the effort that went into this season.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7): “I’m really happy to be part of a manufacturers’ World Championship win and a one-two in the drivers’ standings. It’s hard to beat that. Huge congratulations to the team for this great season. It was the last race for me, and it’s a nice feeling, honestly. It’s been amazing working with the team for all these years and I’ll miss everybody. There were many magical moments, and I’ve got so many memories to look back on. It has been great to be a part of this team’s history for so long. I’ve really enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone for all those special moments.”

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “It’s been a great year. I’m extremely happy and proud to be part of the team. Everyone has done an incredible job the whole year. It has been a challenging final weekend of the year, but we have to remember everything we have accomplished together. We should cherish and celebrate that. A special thank you to Mike after his last race. It was great to share car #7 with him and create memories which will last forever.”

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8): “Not winning Le Mans with car #8 was hard but winning the drivers’ World Championship makes up for it. Today we knew we just had to beat car #7 because we had a decent points lead, but you never know what can happen. We made it and now I’m really enjoying the feeling as a five-time World Champion. It’s a pleasure to share the car with my two team-mates and to be part of this team. They really deserve a lot of credit for bringing the TR010 HYBRID and winning in its first season, in front of such strong competition. It’s a great feeling.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8): “As a team we already celebrated clinching the manufacturers’ title in Barcelona, which felt incredible for everyone. After all the hard work that went into the TR010 HYBRID we knew this season was an opportunity for us. Against such tough competition we had to improve in every area of the team, including as drivers, so it’s a great feeling now to finish the season as World Champions. All three of us on #8 had mixed emotions after Le Mans but I am really proud of how we fought back over the second half of the season, because we were really strong.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “I am really happy, not only for everyone on car #8 but also for the whole team. For TOYOTA RACING to win Le Mans and both World Championships is a massive achievement, maybe this team’s biggest yet. This is all thanks to the team because everyone did a great job. We had a tough year in 2025, but we came back with the TR010 HYBRID and we won everything. We should be proud of that, but at the same time we want to continue to get stronger together.”

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Sunday’s race will determine which of its crew wins the drivers’ World Championship, adding to the manufacturers’ title already secured by the team last month in Barcelona. However, difficult conditions in qualifying meant both TR010 HYBRIDs missed out on Hyperpole.

After three wins this season, a top-five finish in the race will guarantee the drivers’ title for Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa regardless of other results, and they will start from the seventh row, in 14th place, in their #8 TR010 HYBRID.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries go into the race aiming to close a 17-point deficit on their team-mates, but they will need to make up positions to do so from 17th on the grid in the #7 TR010 HYBRID.

Qualifying was the first dry running of the weekend so – having not previously tested the TR010 HYBRID at Monza – the team went into the 12-minute session lacking data about the slick Michelin tyres around the 5.793km circuit.

After morning rain, the conditions – and lap times – improved throughout qualifying as the track dried. Although both TR010 HYBRIDs went faster as the session went on, they narrowly missed out on the top 10 and therefore did not qualify for Hyperpole.

Despite the disappointing grid positions, the team aims to execute an effective race strategy to move up the field when the 6 Hours of Monza begins at 11am local time on Sunday.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Driver, car #7): “It’s a very unfortunate result. We don’t have much experience here with our TR010 HYBRID and this was our first time on track with slick tyres. Obviously, it’s not where we expected to be. Hopefully it is dry tomorrow when we will do our best to score some points. We still have a drivers’ championship to decide so let’s enjoy the last race of 2026.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “That was quite tough. We had no dry running here until qualifying, so we tried our best to find the best balance. It was not easy without having tested here before, but we tried our best with what we had. We also learned a few things during the session which should help us in the race. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”

*14th on provisional starting grid due to a penalty for another competitor

**17th on provisional starting grid due to penalty

6 Hours of Monza – Hyperpole

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After securing the manufacturers’ title with a one-two victory in Barcelona last month, one of the team’s crews will win the drivers’ World Championship in Sunday’s season finale in Italy.

Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa – who lead by 17 points and will guarantee the title by finishing the race in the top five – were 12th fastest on Friday in their #8 TR010 HYBRID. Le Mans winners Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries need a combination of a top two finish and an off day for their team-mates to take the crown. The #7 TR010 HYBRID crew ended the day in 17th.

Action began in persistent rain with air temperatures around 10°C, with the team focusing on mechanical and aerodynamic set-ups in a session interrupted by three red flags. Ryō – back on track after scoring points on his Formula 1 race debut in the Mexican Grand Prix – set the best lap for the #8 to finish in 11th place, while the #7 was 14th after Kamui’s fastest lap.

Between the two sessions, engineers used data from first practice to optimise settings for the specific demands of Monza, known as the Temple of Speed for its long straights. As well as high top speeds, the track also places significant demand on the brakes and suspension in the slower chicanes.

Rain continued into the afternoon but stopped early in second practice. Track conditions improved during a trouble-free session, allowing slick tyres to be fitted for the final 15 minutes. Ryō’s late lap secured 12th place for the #8, while Mike, who is participating in his last WEC event before retirement, also set his quickest time as the track dried in the closing minutes, as the #7 finished in 17th place.

There is a reduced risk of rain on Saturday, which starts with final practice in the morning prior to qualifying and Hyperpole at 3pm for the Hypercars. Dry conditions are also forecast for Sunday, when the 6 Hours of Monza begins at 11am CET.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7): “They were difficult conditions for us, and we seem to be lacking a bit of pace. So it’s a disappointing start but we still have one more practice session to go in the morning and we will do our best to find more performance.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7): “It’s good to be back on this track after a few years away. It’s a cool place. But it was a tricky day in mixed conditions. I think we are still struggling in some conditions. We’ll try to work on what we can and aim to be quicker tomorrow.”

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “Obviously conditions were challenging, especially in first practice. It’s a pity we haven’t been able to do proper laps in the dry. We’re expecting the race to be dry, so it would have been nice to have a better read on where we are ahead of the race.”

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8): “It’s nice to be back at Monza. It has changed a lot since we last raced here in 2023, with new asphalt and new kerbs. We suffered a bit in the wet today but it’s good learning because we still don’t have much experience with these wet tyres. Let’s see what we can do tomorrow.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8): “It was a clean day of running but I wouldn’t say we are feeling fully sorted for a dry race. Some of our competitors have tested here and look to be a step ahead. We are lacking a bit of pace so hopefully we get some dry running tomorrow before the race to work on that.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “It was tricky, especially the first session when there was a lot of water on track. We optimised the car for FP2, which gave us slightly better pace and a better feeling in the car. I am happy with the work we did. We have built a bit of positive momentum, but the leading cars are quite fast. We’ll just focus on what we can do for qualifying tomorrow.”

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The two squads will compete as TOYOTA RACING, debuting the GR Celica Rally1 car, and GAZOO Racing TOYOTA, campaigning the new 2027 GR Yaris Rally1 car.

The combined driver line-up across the two teams will feature at least three world champions, with the 2026 title winner Elfyn Evans joined by two returning heroes in Ott Tänak and Kalle Rovanperä. Completing an impressive mix of rally-winning experience and proven potential are the WRC’s three newest rally winners: Oliver Solberg, Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta.

In 2026, TGR-WRT secured a record-equalling sixth consecutive manufacturers’ championship, with all five of its official crews claiming multiple rally wins and contending for the drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles. Three drivers continued the fight all the way to a thrilling final stage of the season, where Evans ultimately prevailed by just five points ahead of Solberg and six ahead of Pajari.

Under new Rally1 technical regulations for 2027, the ethos of providing all drivers with a car they can win with remains central, with preparations underway to field up to six factory cars on each rally. These will be entered across two teams that will compete as equal challengers for victory, further enhancing competition and creating new stories for fans to follow and enjoy.

TGR-WRT will continue to operate both teams under the same roof at its headquarters in Jyväskylä in Finland. Supporting the competition between them and the development of the two cars will strengthen its efforts to make ever-better cars, drawing on feedback from strong driver line-ups assembled to give both teams the opportunity to compete for victory.

The TOYOTA RACING drivers will be entrusted with the new GR Celica Rally1 car, returning one of the most iconic names in Toyota rally history to the WRC.

Its line-up will be led into the 2027 season by the defending drivers’ and co-drivers’ champions, Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin. Entering their eighth successive full season with the team, the experienced and ever-consistent Welsh-English duo have started more rallies for Toyota than anyone else in the company’s long WRC history and secured their hard-earned first world titles this year having finished runners-up on five previous occasions.

Alongside them will be Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson. The spectacular Swedish driver and his British navigator finished as runners-up in their first full season with TGR-WRT this year – scoring three victories and more stage wins than anyone else – after winning the WRC2 title with the GR Yaris Rally2 car in 2025.

Completing the TOYOTA RACING trio will be another up-and-coming force in the WRC, Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen. The Finns finished third in the standings and took three wins in what was their second full season competing at the highest level, demonstrating exceptional consistency with nine podiums from 13 events.

The GAZOO Racing TOYOTA drivers will take the wheel of the 2027 GR Yaris Rally1 car, aiming to build on the remarkable success already achieved by the GR Yaris under the outgoing ruleset.

Its line-up includes Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja, who renew their successful WRC partnership with GAZOO Racing seven years after winning the 2019 world championship aboard the Toyota Yaris WRC. In their previous spell with the team, the Estonian duo won 10 rounds of the WRC across two seasons.

Joining them at GAZOO Racing TOYOTA are Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston, following a breakthrough 2026 campaign in which they achieved their maiden WRC victories in Kenya and Croatia and Katsuta became the first Japanese driver to ever lead the championship standings.

Also making a highly anticipated return to WRC competition with GAZOO Racing TOYOTA following a year away will be Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen. Rovanperä became the youngest ever World Rally Champion as the Finnish pairing won back-to-back titles with TGR-WRT in 2022-23, and they will contest a partial season of selected events.

This will provide the team with the possibility to welcome other drivers into its line-up during the season. This could include selected appearances for experienced drivers such as nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, who remains part of the GAZOO Racing family. The team will also continue to explore opportunities for young drivers, like those in the GR WRC Challenge Program, who show potential to compete at the top level.

The TGR-WRT name will be retained by the Jyväskylä-based high-performance development company as it moves into an exciting new era. The presentation of the driver line-up at the Jyskä HQ followed an official groundbreaking ceremony the previous day (November 2) at the site of its new technical center now under construction at nearby Majajärvi.

Meanwhile, in the surrounding forests of central Finland, the team is today (November 3) concluding six days of rally simulation testing with its 2027 prototype. The GR Celica Rally1 and GR Yaris Rally1 cars will run to the same new WRC Car regulations – aimed at increasing competition by making the top Rally1 category more accessible – with equal power and performance. With the homologation process due for completion before the end of this year, further details regarding the two cars and their liveries will be released prior to the 2027 season.

Quotes:
Elfyn Evans (TOYOTA RACING driver)
“This was another strong season for us and for the team, and it was obviously very special to finally get the world championship over the line after coming close a few times before. I’m grateful to everyone who has continued to support and believe in us, and especially the team. I’m very happy to head into our eighth season with TOYOTA as we enter this new era. I think we share a similar mentality of always wanting to push for better and achieve more, so our goals are very much aligned. Attention is already turning to next year and what’s to come with the new car. It will be very different from what we’ve been used to, so there’s some work ahead for everyone to adapt and get the most out of it. I’m looking forward to that challenge and hope we can keep on achieving good things together.”

Oliver Solberg (TOYOTA RACING driver)
“I’ve had an amazing first full year with the team. It was quite a rollercoaster season, with some incredible highs and also some tough moments, but we learned a lot and to fight for the championship right until the end was something special. Now I just want to take the positives and everything I’ve learned and look forward. It’s a dream for me to be a TOYOTA driver and it’s super exciting to enter this new era together and be involved in developing a brand-new car. Next season will be a completely new challenge for everybody so there will be a lot to learn and adapt to again, and hopefully we can have some great competition for everyone to enjoy. I will keep giving my best, enjoy the driving and the battles, and try to achieve more good results.”

Sami Pajari (TOYOTA RACING driver)
“I think we can be very happy with our 2026 season and the progress we have made. To take three wins and nine podiums and fight for the championship until the final round was more than we could have expected. I think we have proven that we can be competitive on many different kinds of rallies, and that gives me good confidence for the future. I’m really grateful to the team for supporting us and giving us this opportunity to grow and develop. I’m still young and I know there are areas in which we can keep improving and become even stronger for the future. Next year will be something completely new for everybody with the new cars, so there will be more things to learn, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. Hopefully we can build on what we’ve already achieved, keep pushing and enjoy more great moments.”

Ott Tänak (GAZOO Racing TOYOTA driver)
“I’m honoured to be back with GAZOO Racing TOYOTA and the team with which Martin and I became world champions. We have very good memories from our previous time here, and I have a lot of respect for the people and what they have achieved, so it has been nice to start working together again this year in a development role. I have enjoyed having some time away from competition, but the desire to drive has still been strong, and it’s been an interesting challenge to get involved in this new project. With such big technical changes, there has been a lot for us to discover and learn during this process. I’m excited to continue that work and have the opportunity to compete with the new car next season. It’s going to be a new start for everybody and there are still a lot of unknowns, but I’m looking forward to getting back on the stages and pushing together with the team to achieve some good results.”

Takamoto Katsuta (GAZOO Racing TOYOTA driver)
“This has been a special year for me, especially because I could achieve a target I had for a long time and take my first WRC victories. I’m very grateful to everybody who has supported me on this journey, but I still have a bigger target – to fight for a world championship title – so I need to keep working, pushing and improving myself. I feel very proud and fortunate to have driven some of the fastest ever rally cars thanks to this team, and now I’m really looking forward to a new challenge. It will be very interesting to see how these new cars develop, and I will try to adapt as soon as possible. It will also be very special for me to have Ott and Kalle back alongside me. They are both very good friends who have helped me a lot over the years, and I’m really excited to work and push together with them as team-mates.”

Kalle Rovanperä (GAZOO Racing TOYOTA driver)
“I’m really happy to have the opportunity to compete in rallies with GAZOO Racing TOYOTA and Jonne again next year. This team has always felt like family to me, and in a way I never really felt that I had left. I’m enjoying having the chance to do some different things, but rallying has been a huge part of my life and I naturally started to miss the driving after a while. The main priority this year became my health and once I was fit to drive again, the team offered me the opportunity to test the development car and from there we started making plans for next season. It’s an interesting time to come back, and while the new cars will be very different from what we had before, that makes it an exciting new challenge for me. The main thing will be to enjoy the driving and the competition, learn about the car, and see what we can do together.”

GR WRC Challenge Program drivers take the next step

The GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program continues to nurture and develop young athletes with the potential to compete on the world stage.

Founded in 2015, the Program played a key role in Takamoto Katsuta’s journey from rally beginner to WRC event winner. It continues to support and develop young Japanese drivers with ambitions of following in Katsuta’s footsteps, and was expanded for 2026 to give opportunities to exceptional young talent from around the world.

Yuki Yamamoto, from the Program’s second generation, took on an expanded schedule of WRC events in 2026 driving the GR Yaris Rally2 car. In the highly competitive WRC2 category, he continued to demonstrate progress with his pace and achieved a landmark first podium on home roads at Rally Japan. Established as his country’s leading contender at Rally2 level and proving the pathway available for aspiring Japanese drivers, Yamamoto will target more strong results in 2027 when he returns to WRC2 for a championship campaign across selected rallies.

In 2026, a trio of drivers made their debut in the GR Yaris Rally2 and gained valuable experience across a range of national, European and World championship events. Young Estonian Jaspar Vaher, who joined the Program ahead of this year following its first-ever selection for global talent, impressed with his performances after stepping up from two-wheel drive machinery, achieving his first overall victories at the Rallye Ciudad de Pozoblanco in Spain and Jyväskylä Ralli in Finland as well as a strong fourth place in WRC2 at Rally Finland. Japan’s Takumi Matsushita, from the Program’s third generation, also claimed an overall win at Rali Terras d'Aboboreira in Portugal and showed promise and progress across different surfaces in what was only his third season of rally competition.

For 2027, Vaher and Matsushita have been chosen to take the next step and gain more experience through an expanded programme of WRC rounds across Europe and in Japan. Their preparation will include competing in the Rallye du Dévoluy in the French Alps this December. Shotaro Goto’s participation with the Program has concluded following the end of his 2026 season. During his three years with the Program he has shown significant growth, and all involved wish him every success for the future.

Rio Ogata and Kanta Yanaguida, the Program’s fourth generation of drivers, made history in 2026 as they finished first and second in the Finnish Rally Championship’s SM2 class, with Ogata becoming the first Japanese driver to ever win a Finnish rally title after a close battle between the pair.

With both showing strong promise while still early in their rally careers, having only contested their first events with the Program in mid-2025, Ogata and Yanaguida will continue at the wheel of Rally3 machinery into next year, making more WRC3 appearances to gain further experience through longer and tougher rallies, while also testing Rally2 cars to prepare for the next step.

Hiroya Minowa, the Program’s newest and youngest driver, made his rally debut in June and has shown encouraging progress across his first six events. For 2027, the 17-year-old will step up from Rally4 to Rally3 machinery, initially continuing to compete in Finland and the Baltic region due to his young age, with the potential for his schedule to be expanded later in the season.

Tomiya Maekawa, the only co-driver in the Program, continued to develop his experience across a variety of events in 2026, competing alongside Jarkko Nikara in Rally3 cars and joining Jari-Matti Latvala for selected historic rally outings. In 2027, Maekawa will become Latvala’s navigator on a more regular basis, focusing on the FIA European Historic Rally Championship.

Quotes:
Yuki Yamamoto
“During 2026 there have been ups and downs but I’ve learned a lot. I feel my performance definitely improved, as I could fight with the best drivers in WRC2 in some stages and set fastest times. In some rallies we had really consistent pace and could achieve a strong result, like the podium at Rally Japan. That showed what we are capable of and gives me confidence and encouragement for the future. There were also mistakes and incidents which meant I didn’t always turn our pace into a good result. That is what I need to work on for next year to bring everything together, working on my driving as well as the physical and mental side, to avoid mistakes and be more consistent. I’m very grateful to everyone who has been supporting me, and together I feel we can have a fantastic year and fight for wins and the championship.”

Jaspar Vaher
“My first season with the Program has been a very positive experience. It was my first season in a four-wheel drive car and I was able to gain a lot of experience from many different rallies. I also had the opportunity to prove myself against the fastest drivers in the Rally2 category, and I believe we showed good potential and achieved good results, so I’m really happy about that. I’m really excited to take another step forward next year and do more WRC events. It will be a big challenge, and on rallies that are new to me I will need to be patient, but on rallies where I have some prior experience, I hope I can show more of my potential and achieve good results. Thank you to the Program for giving me this amazing opportunity to follow my dream, to my instructor Juho Hänninen, and to everyone supporting me.”

Takumi Matsushita
“My first season driving the GR Yaris Rally2 car was a learning experience at every event. The chassis and suspension are completely different from what I knew so I found it difficult to adapt at first, but winning in Portugal gave me a lot of confidence. After that, considering my lack of experience, I think I can be satisfied with my driving. I’m excited to contest more WRC rounds next season and compete regularly in the same class as many top drivers. It’s an environment where I can really grow and gain experience. On rallies that are new to me I’ll prioritise learning, while on those I already know, I hope to show speed close to the front of WRC2. I'd like to thank the team and our partners for this incredible opportunity, and I hope to repay everyone’s support through my attitude and my results.”

Rio Ogata
“This year brought many new experiences for me. Stepping up to Rally3 was not easy at first but also a really enjoyable challenge. After a surprise win in our first event, I had some tough moments over the rest of the winter, but once we moved to gravel and asphalt, we could show speed and consistency and win the championship in Finland. I also made some mistakes and have many things to improve, and the longer rallies showed me that there is still a lot to learn. I’m really thankful to the team and to be able to continue with the support of this amazing Program next year. I’m looking forward to taking on some different rallies with the Rally3 car, and gaining more experience with the GR Yaris Rally2. I can’t wait to get started, and I’ll keep pushing.”

Kanta Yanaguida
“Stepping up to the Rally3 car and competing for the Finnish Rally Championship this year, I enjoyed the battle with Rio throughout the year and learned a lot from it. I also gained more experience in different countries and on different surfaces, including longer WRC and ERC rallies for the first time. These events taught me about the concentration and strategy needed, and I feel I’ve gained a deeper understanding of rallying. I’m happy with my progress this year and looking forward to new challenges next year. I’m also excited to be testing the GR Yaris Rally2 car; with the extra performance, I need to keep improving my driving to get the most from the car. I’m really grateful to everyone involved in this Program, especially the team for their hard work at every rally and the instructors for their guidance.”

Hiroya Minowa
“It has been an amazing experience in my first season with this Program. I had no rally experience when I joined, so I was nervous about what to expect, but with the support of everyone involved, I could focus on my driving and learn a lot. Coming from drifting, I was used to driving rear-wheel drive cars, so adapting to the front-wheel drive Rally4 car was tricky at first, but the instructors and older drivers in the Program taught me a lot and really helped me. I’m really excited for next year. Stepping up to the four-wheel drive Rally3 car will be another new experience and I will try to keep improving and fight for the championship in Finland. I can’t thank everyone enough for their support, and I will do my best to achieve good results for them.”

Tomiya Maekawa
“My second year with the Program was another year of good progress with many new experiences. Stepping up to Rally3 with Jarkko and competing in longer and more demanding rallies brought many challenges, but a clean run with good stage times at Rally Finland gave me confidence. I also really enjoyed the chance to compete with Jari-Matti in the legendary Celica ST185. Working with a different driver and a completely different pacenote system has been great for developing my ability to adapt, which is very important for a co-driver. I’m really excited to do more EHRC rallies with Jari-Matti next year and take on an international championship season for the first time. I want to keep improving my skills as a co-driver, and I’m sure the variety of situations we’ll face next season will help me do that. I’m very thankful to everyone involved in making this possible.”

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A one-two victory in the penultimate round in Barcelona secured the manufacturers’ World Championship for the team in its first season competing as TOYOTA RACING. It also guaranteed that one of its crews will become drivers’ champions in Italy.

Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa won the Barcelona race in their #8 TR010 HYBRID and hold the advantage in the title race, leading by 17 points. A top-five finish will ensure the trio win their third World Championship together, having previously triumphed in 2022 and 2023.

Le Mans winners Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries are aiming for their first title together in the #7 TR010 HYBRID but they must overcome a 17-point deficit to take the crown. Mike and Kamui already have two titles to their name after wins in 2019-20 and 2021, while Nyck is chasing his first.

Regardless of the result, the 6 Hours of Monza will be a milestone for TOYOTA RACING. It marks the end of the TR010 HYBRID’s debut season, which has already delivered both World Championships and four race wins, including the Le Mans 24 Hours and the team’s home race at Fuji Speedway.

Monza will also see Mike’s last race, prior to his retirement from full-time competition. It will be his 86th race with the team since joining in 2014. Since then, he has won 20 races – including two Le Mans victories – and finished on the podium 47 times.

Two of Mike’s wins have come at Monza, the legendary Temple of Speed located in parkland close to Milan in northern Italy. In three WEC races there, the team has won twice – in 2021 and 2023 – and finished on the podium four times.

Like the Circuit de la Sarthe, Monza is famed for its long straights and tight chicanes, requiring good top speed and braking stability. The team will start its on-track preparations on Friday 6 November with two practice sessions before Hypercar qualifying the following day (3pm CET). The 6 Hours of Monza starts at 11am local time on Sunday 8 November.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7): “It’s been a special year for the team and a fantastic first season with the TR010 HYBRID. We have achieved our targets: Le Mans win, both World Championships and winning our home race. Now there is one race to go, and we want to finish on a high. The drivers’ World Championship is still to be decided and on the #7 car we’ll push hard to win it. The points gap is pretty big, but we’ll do our best. We can only concentrate on our race and see what happens. I hope we can win the race for the perfect end to the season, and the best farewell to Mike.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7): “It’s the last one for me at Monza but there’s still lots to play for in terms of the drivers’ title. It obviously got a lot harder for us, but we’ve still got a shot, so we’ll give it our all and do our absolute best. I’ve had 12 seasons with the team, and I’ve enjoyed every single one of them. It’s coming to an end but it’s the close of one chapter and the start of another for me. A big thank you to TOYOTA, and personally to Morizo-san, for giving us all this amazing opportunity. Thank you also to everyone in Cologne, at Higashi-Fuji and all those involved in the programme for their hard work over the years together. It’s been a real fun ride, and I wish everyone the best for the future.”

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “I’m looking forward to racing at Monza for the first time in a Hypercar. It’s a very high-speed track, a bit like Le Mans, and we saw how strong our TR010 HYBRID was there, so I hope we can fight at the front. The drivers’ title isn’t in our hands. We can only do our best, aim to win the race and see what happens, but we’ll give everything to do that.”

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8): “I enjoy racing in Italy – I spent a lot of time there earlier in my career and the fans are always so passionate about motorsport. So, it feels like a perfect place to finish a special season for us. Obviously, on car #8, we want to complete the job and win the drivers’ title. We’re in a strong position but the competition will be tough, and it won’t be an easy race.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8): “It’s exciting to be going into the last race of the season fighting for the drivers’ title, and it’s nice to be able to do that with the manufacturers’ World Championship already in the bag. Even though we have a decent gap over the sister car, championship deciders are always stressful, and you never know what will happen. So, we’ve got to be on top of our game all weekend.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “The team has worked really hard to be in this position and it was great to celebrate the manufacturers’ World Championship together. Now there’s one race left and we will try to grab the drivers’ title for car #8. Unlike Barcelona, we have raced a Hypercar at Monza relatively recently, although it’s our first time there with the TR010 HYBRID and this year’s tyres. There will be plenty to learn but the whole team is very motivated to end the season with a big result.”

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Building on the preliminary agreement announced in April 2025, Toyota and Waymo will begin initial operations to test and validate an autonomous Toyota bZ4X fleet in Japan in 2027, with deployment to the United Kingdom and other Waymo-serviced markets planned for the following years. This partnership marks a major milestone in the expansion of Japan’s first fully autonomous ride-hailing service using high-volume, domestically manufactured vehicles.

Toyota will build the vehicles at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The entire process will take place under one roof, from assembling the base vehicle to integrating Waymo’s AV hardware.

By pairing Toyota’s global manufacturing and vehicle development expertise with Waymo’s fully autonomous technology, the companies will accelerate scaling safety-validated Level 4 autonomous vehicles globally — helping provide people with transit that reduces human-error accidents, and opening up freedom of movement for those who can’t easily get around.

Beyond safety, the custom-outfitted bZ4X is designed for comfort and greater accessibility. Generous rear legroom and features such as automatic doors, a power liftgate and ambient lighting will provide seamless entry and exit for riders.

Toyota and Waymo will continue to explore the future of autonomous driving technology for personally owned Toyota vehicles. Alongside Woven by Toyota, they will also explore additional initiatives that support their shared goal of fewer road safety incidents, including how insights from Waymo’s real-world operations, data-driven intelligence, and technology could holistically improve safety for other road users.

Energy circumstances differ by region and country, as do customer needs and preferences. Toyota’s multi-pathway approach is designed to respond to this by offering a range of electrified powertrains and adjusting the mix to market demand. The next-generation hybrid system is designed to support this flexibility in vehicle development and in manufacturing.

A complete hybrid powertrain redesigned from the ground up

Toyota has not adapted an existing engine for electrified use. Instead, it has developed the engine, hybrid system and power electronics together as one integrated powertrain. The new 1.5-litre engines were designed for electrification from the start. They are smaller and more efficient than their predecessors. The naturally aspirated version is designed to cover the hybrid system performance range currently served by Toyota’s 1.8-litre engine and its current 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine.

The engines are paired with lighter, more compact electric motors and power control units. Integrating these components more closely is intended to reduce losses across the whole system.

More than 15% better fuel economy

Toyota is targeting a fuel economy improvement of more than 15%. The gain is expected to come from lower mechanical friction, improved thermal management, reduced electrical losses and lower aerodynamic drag*.

Designed for flexible multi-pathway platforms

The new multi-pathway platform is being developed to deliver uncompromised performance and product appeal as a battery-electric vehicle, while the compact new hybrid system can also be integrated into the same platform. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains can be integrated into the same basic architecture without affecting vehicle silhouette, interior space or vehicle capability.

The lower-profile engine and hybrid package also allow lower bonnet heights and more dynamic vehicle proportions. Designers can more freely style the shape of the vehicle with fewer constraints.

Economies of scale and manufacturing flexibility

Battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles will share a common architecture. This means Toyota can spread development and production investment across higher combined volumes.

The result is greater financial and engineering economies of scale, without compromising the performance or capability of any variant.

The common architecture is also intended to allow manufacturing operations to seamlessly adjust the powertrain mix to closely match customer demand.

Supporting the multi-pathway approach towards carbon neutrality

Toyota sees highly efficient hybrid technology as a continuing part of its multi-pathway approach towards carbon neutrality. Toyota plans to increase external sales of its new engine and hybrid technologies in the coming years. The system is also being developed to run on renewable and carbon-neutral fuels. This extends the contribution that combustion-based electrified vehicles can make to reducing emissions while battery-electric and fuel cell electric technologies continue to expand.

* Lower Cd (drag coefficient) value.

For more information about our electrified powertrains with or without petrol engine visit Toyota Multi-Pathway Powertrains | Toyota Europe

The Challenge brings together TMF's experience in advancing human-centred mobility solutions and POLIS' network of 130 cities and regions working to improve local transport across Europe. Working alongside the implementation partner Rupprecht Consult, the organisations will support a select group of cities in developing, deploying and evaluating innovative mobility solutions that address the needs of underserved communities.

The open call is exclusively available to POLIS member cities and regions and cities which have an existing relation with the TMF. Eligible applicants are invited to put forward a clearly defined mobility challenge and an integrated approach to addressing it. Three to five cities will be selected as Champion Cities and supported to co-develop, implement and evaluate solutions with residents, mobility users and local stakeholders.

Rather than focusing on stand-alone technologies, the programme will support practical, people-centred interventions that improve accessibility, affordability, safety and participation in daily life. The Challenge seeks solutions that address persistent barriers to mobility, including transport poverty, physical accessibility constraints, service gaps and unequal mobility outcomes linked to age, gender, disability or other social and economic factors.

The programme places particular emphasis on transport poverty and the multiple, overlapping barriers that can prevent people from accessing jobs, education, healthcare and social opportunities. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed interventions will benefit groups that are often underserved by existing mobility systems, while ensuring meaningful citizen participation and co-creation throughout project design and delivery.

Projects may address a range of mobility areas, including active mobility, public transport, shared mobility and integrated mobility services. Proposals may also focus on supporting measures such as behavioural change, demand management, safety improvements, mobility management and innovative approaches to the use of public space. All projects should contribute to a more sustainable mobility future and consider the role of zero-emission and smart mobility solutions where relevant.

Champion Cities will receive financial support to bridge the gap between current mobility challenges and long-term ambitions for a more inclusive transport system. In addition to funding, cities will benefit from technical expertise, implementation guidance, monitoring support and opportunities to exchange knowledge with peers across the POLIS network.

The local projects will be implemented over a period of up to four years and evaluated against agreed indicators related to accessibility, affordability, usability, safety and social inclusion. Insights and lessons learned through the Challenge will contribute to practical guidance, capacity building and policy recommendations that can help other cities replicate successful approaches.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must:

• Be a POLIS member city or region or/and have an existing relation with the TMF

• Be located in the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or the United Kingdom.

• Represent a city or functional urban area with a population between 100,000 and 1,000,000 inhabitants.

• Demonstrate political commitment and organisational capacity to deliver a multi-year programme.

• Submit an Expression of Interest signed by an authorised political representative.

Three to five Champion Cities will ultimately be selected following a competitive evaluation process.

How to Apply

Applications opened on 12 October 2026.

Interested POLIS members can access application materials and detailed guidance through the Challenge website: https://members.polisnetwork.eu/inclusive-mobility-cities-challenge

The application deadline is Friday, 11 December 2026 at 23.59 CET

Pre-selected applicants are expected to be notified in February 2027, with project development activities commencing shortly thereafter.

For enquiries, please contact: Cláudia Ribeiro, POLIS, cribeiro@polisnetwork.eu

Since the original model made its debut in 1966, more cars have carried the Corolla nameplate than any other, earning it the title of “the world’s best-selling car”.

That remarkable achievement, generation by generation, has included a large variety of vehicle types, meeting diverse customer tastes and preferences worldwide, from family sedans and hatchbacks to sports coupes and station wagons.

Corolla’s sustained success is founded on the principles that Toyota applied in creating the original model back in 1966. The vision then was for a high-quality, versatile car at an affordable price. Today, 12 generations later, it remains true to those qualities, having constantly adapted over the years to maintain its place at the heart of the market.

COROLLA HISTORY, GENERATION BY GENERATION

The Corolla story begins

In the early 1960s Japan was booming. It was a time of rebuilding, innovation and new prosperity. As the population grew to more than 100 million, society was becoming more aspirational and keen to adopt new ideas and products.

Cities grew with new suburbs, making car ownership both desirable and necessary for many. Toyota saw an opportunity to develop a new kind of car, one that didn’t just serve as reliable, functional transport, but was comfortable, enjoyable to drive, technologically advanced, well- equipped, and modern.

This groundbreaking model was the Corolla, a perfect example of the enduring Toyota principle of providing the right car, in the right place, at the right time.

Toyota demonstrated its commitment to the new model by building a dedicated factory, the Takaoka plant in Toyota City. Quality procedures were rigorous, with a requirement for each car to achieve better than a benchmark average points score at each stage of the assembly process.

Overseeing the project was Chief Engineer Tatsuo Hasegawa, who ensured Toyota’s vision was realised. The scene was set for the birth of Corolla and the start of a motoring legend.

First generation: 1966 - 1970

The original Corolla was conceived as a “people’s car” but in fact offered much more than mass-market customers were used to. Developed from an original concept in 1962, it was revealed at the 1966 Tokyo Motor Show and launched in Japan in November that year, entering production at the new factory.

Its name was inspired by the word describing a flower's crown of petals, widely considered the most beautiful part of the flower.

The original Corolla range consisted of a two-door sedan when the model was launched in, powered by a 1.1-litre engine producing 60 DIN hp. In 1967, Toyota expanded the line-up with a four-door sedan and a wagon. In 1968, the range gained the sportier Corolla Sprinter fastback coupe. Innovative features included a floor-mounted four-speed manual transmission – a first for a Japanese car – disc brakes, bucket seats, multi-point seatbelts and two-speed wipers. Toyota already had export ambitions for Corolla, reflected in the modern styling with a semi-fastback roof line and curved surfaces.

In just three years, Corolla became Japan’s best-selling car.

Second generation: 1970 - 1974

The Japanese car market was booming when Toyota presented the second generation Corolla in 1970. It coincided with the milestone of the model achieving one million sales since its launch. The new model demonstrated Toyota’s Kaizen continuous improvement philosophy, with a focus on improving safety, comfort and practicality.

This generation saw the addition of a two-door coupe, and the first sports model, the full fastback Levin (a word for a bolt of lightning), powered by a 115 DIN hp twin-overhead cam 1.6-litre engine.

Notable features included a revised suspension system, new powertrains and high-back front seats with integrated head rests. This was the first Corolla to be offered with an AM/FM stereo radio, air conditioning, windscreen washers and rear-door child locks. It also came with a larger, 45-litre fuel tank to make longer journeys more convenient.

It was a huge success, with 2.4 million units built. From 1971, Toyota’s manufacturing partner Caetano assembled cars from complete knock-down kits in Portugal.

Third generation: 1974 - 1979

With Corolla now firmly established at the heart of the market and achieving annual export sales of more than 300,000 units, Toyota’s intention was to deliver “the ultimate family car” with the third generation. Higher levels of safety and comfort were the priorities. New emissions regulations called for new engines to be developed, with Toyota developing an exhaust catalyst for the “Toyota Total Clean System”.

This was the first Corolla to be designed using wind-tunnel testing, resulting in a more aerodynamic, angular body.

The customer choice was greater than ever, with the addition of a pillar-less coupe and the availability of hardtops and semi-fastbacks in the mid-range, rather than being reserved for top-specification models. A new Liftback linked multi-purpose practicality with sportiness.

Cabins were quieter with improvements in noise and vibration and featured centralised controls and padded instrument panels. This was also the first Corolla to be designed with passive safety features, including an impact-absorbing body, crumple zones and emergency locking seatbelts.

Third generation production exceeded 3.75 million units.

Fourth generation: 1979 - 1983

At the turn of the decade, market demand was for more up-market models, but with better fuel economy a priority in the wake of an international oil crisis. Toyota responded with a fourth-generation Corolla that made advances in all areas, in particular handling and powertrains.

This was the first Corolla to feature rack-and-pinion steering and to replace rear leaf springs with a new multi-link system with coil springs. It was also the first to adopt a diesel engine, a 1.8-litre unit with high thermal efficiency and fuel economy that joined the range in 1982. Style-wise, the new model was distinguished by its sleek lines, slanting nose and high rear deck. In the cabin, higher quality materials were used, and convenience was enhanced with the introduction of split-folding rear seats in the coupe and liftback.

Fifth generation: 1983 - 1987

Debuting in May 1983, the fifth generation targeted a younger generation of drivers and delivered the most comprehensive model change in Corolla’s history. For the first time, Toyota used computer technology to design the exterior and develop powertrains and control systems.

Corolla became available with front-wheel drive, allowing cabin space and comfort to be optimised. Rear-wheel drive versions remained in the line-up for those wanting a sportier drive. The cabin was designed to seat five adults in comfort, with space gained by lowering the floor, moving the steering wheel forwards and fitting a more upright rear window. Power-assisted steering was available, together with central locking, power-operated windows and a sunroof.

The fifth generation included the legendary AE86 coupe, the last front engine/rear-wheel drive Corolla – details in a dedicated chapter below.

Sixth generation: 1987 - 1991

As customers sought ever-higher quality, the sixth generation Corolla set out to exceed expectations more than any previous generation. Every aspect of the car was redesigned to raise luxury, comfort and quality standards. Key elements were a choice of characterful body styles to suit different customer profiles; fun-to-drive performance; and quality that appealed to all the senses.

Externally, the design theme was “wide and low” with the straight lines of previous generations replaced with a more rounded look. Inside, tactile velours and thick upholstery materials raised the comfort level, while ergonomics were brought into play in defining the shape, location and operating feel of the controls.

Digital optimisation of the body reduced noise and vibration, while the ventilation system regulated both cabin air quality and temperature. New features included a rake-adjustable steering wheel, height-adjustable seatbelts and driver’s seat lumbar support. An extensive line-up spanned the range from sedans, a coupe and hatchbacks to a wagon and van. All had front-wheel drive, plus the first four-wheel drive options. The engine choice was unparalleled – six petrol and one diesel across a power range from 64 to 145 DIN hp.

Seventh generation: 1992 - 1995

Toyota sought to consolidate Corolla’s strengths with a seventh generation model that benefited from improvements across the board. It was larger, faster, safer and quieter than its predecessors and was the first to be influenced by the prestige qualities of Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand that had been introduced in 1989.

For the first time, suspension and powertrain development teams were integrated and specific track testing took place to achieve European-style handling performance. The bodywork was more curvaceous than ever, with the sedan design inspired by the Lexus LS 400 limousine. The bodywork used less panels and tighter gaps, while the interior offered more space all round and a co-ordinated look. The suspension was reworked to take the car’s larger dimensions into account, and wheel sizes were increased to 14 inches. From September 1994, a driver’s airbag became standard equipment as Toyota pursued higher safety provisions.

Eighth generation: 1995 - 2000

Toyota made a strategic change with the eighth-generation car, moving away from developing it as a global model to producing versions specifically designed for the European market, with direct input from European design teams. It also marked the start of full-scale local Corolla production in Europe., (further details in the chapter below).

The model’s development was influenced by increasing environmental concerns and the need to reduce weight and achieve higher levels of fuel and emissions efficiency. Weight savings were helped by the introduction of high-strength but lightweight steel in the car’s structure. Ownership costs were another key factor, so Toyota made the car simpler to service and repair. This was the first Corolla to make satellite navigation available as an option.

Ninth generation: 2000 – 2006

With the ninth-generation Corolla, Toyota signalled a break with the past, creating a car to new standards for the new millennium. Europe was a key target market and the car’s exterior design was developed there with a “youthful and refined” design theme. Key elements included a new platform and flush merging of the glass, pillars and roof to create a premium look that was also aero-efficient. Quality details included Optitron instrumentation, as used in Lexus models.

The European line-up included three and five-door hatchbacks built in the UK and a sedan and MPV – the Corolla Verso – manufactured in Turkey. Nine powertrains were produced, including a D-4D common rail diesel and a 1.8-litre VVT-i petrol in the sports hatch, the T Sport.

Tenth generation: 2007 – 2012

The 10th generation model went by different names in different markets: while known as Corolla in some parts of the world, it was launched in Japan and Europe as the Auris three and five-door hatchback (the sedan remained a Corolla).

Toyota produced what it called an “inside-out” design in which priority was given to interior space. The initial engine choice featured 1.4 and new 1.6-litre VVT-i units, while the flagship model was powered by a 2.2-litre D-4D diesel and used a bespoke multi-link rear suspension system. Safety levels were higher than ever before, including the introduction of a driver’s knee airbag. Air conditioning, reclining rear seats and new electric power steering were among the standard features. Customers could opt for a new multi-mode transmission on certain versions, with manual gear selection using paddle shifts.

In 2010 Toyota introduced the Auris Hybrid hatchback, the first Toyota hybrid vehicle to be mass-produced in Europe. Built by Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, it introduced Toyota’s quiet, refined and highly efficient powertrain to the heart of the European car market and set the template for the roll-out of hybrid power across the entire Toyota model range.

Eleventh generation: 2013 – 2018

The Corolla, known as Auris in the European region, continued into its 11th generation with a complete redesign. Development focused on honing the driving dynamics through improved weight management and chassis tuning, creating a car that delivered more rewarding driver feedback. Designed primarily in Europe for European customers, the new line-up included a wagon – the Touring Sports – for the first time since the eighth-generation Corolla.

The powertrain choices included the full hybrid, diesel and petrol. Once again, fuel economy and emissions performance were enhanced through engine tuning, weight savings and aerodynamic improvements. The new hybrid achieved class-leading CO₂ figures of just 87 g/km. The Auris also found its way to the USA where it was marketed as the Scion iM (later the Corolla M) and given a strong sports profile with lowered suspension and a full body kit.

Twelfth generation: 2019 to date

The 12^th generation Corolla was launched with hatchback, Touring Sports and sedan models continuing in production in the UK and Turkey. Built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) C-platform, the Corolla benefited from a lower centre of gravity and greater body rigidity, significantly improving handling agility, responsiveness and ride comfort. It also introduced a new dual hybrid strategy, giving Hatchback and Touring Sports customers the choice of 1.8 and 2.0-litre hybrid systems to suit their preferences for optimum efficiency or higher performance. From launch, this Corolla was exclusively a hybrid model in Europe.

The styling programme created a more dynamic look for the hatchback and Touring Sports while the sedan offered a more prestigious look. This was the first Corolla to offer a GR Sport equipment grade, giving the car a stronger sports look inspired by GAZOO Racing, Toyota’s championship-winning international motorsports arm. Since launch in 2019, the European Corolla family has grown to include the Corolla Cross SUV.

THE COROLLA AE86: THE DRIVER’S CAR THAT BECAME A CULTURAL ICON

• Revered as an affordable and hugely rewarding driver’s car

• Classic front engine/rear-wheel drive set-up, with high-revving multi-valve 1.6-litre engine

• The “Hachi-Roku” legend sustained in popular culture through the Initial D Anime and Manga series

Among the hundreds of different Corolla models that have been produced over the past 60 years, the AE86 stands apart as a model acclaimed as an exceptional driver’s car. More than that, its fame has spread beyond the automotive world through its representation in the Initial D Anime and Manga series, elevating it to the status of a modern Japanese cultural icon.

The model was part of the fifth generation Corolla series from 1983 to 1987, presented in Levin and Trueno sports liftback forms and as a notchback coupe. In Europe it was marketed as the Corolla GT and GTi. The car’s sleek, wedge-shape design, low-slung driving position and playful handling made it a popular success.

The AE86 had a classic front engine/rear-wheel drive sports car configuration, weighed less than one tonne and had an ideal front-rear weight balance. Its 1.6-litre 4A-GE double-overhead camshaft in-line four-cylinder engine was equipped with electronic fuel injection and produced a maximum 130 DIN hp and 149 Nm of torque. This high-revving unit could accelerate the car from rest to 100 km/h in around 8.3 seconds, with progress accompanied by a rasping exhaust note. Servo-assisted, ventilated disc brakes ensured stopping power appropriate for its speed; a limited-slip differential was available as an option.

Unsurprisingly, the AE86 proved to be a highly capable car in motorsport in both rally and racetrack competition. It also became a hero model in the world of drifting competition. Its reputation was enhanced by its appearance in the Initial D series from 1995 where the hero character drove an AE86 as a tofu delivery vehicle during the day and as a drifting machine by night.

The meaning of AE86 and Hachi-Roku

AE86 is a Toyota code: A denotes the engine series and E86 the version within the eighth generation of the Corolla series. In Japan, the car became known simply as the “Hachi-Roku” (86), the start of a Toyota sports model reference that was revived with the launch of the GT86 and GR86 coupes more than three decades later.

The AE86 today

Recognising the enduring significance and popularity of the AE86, GAZOO Racing manufactures replica heritage parts to help owners keep their cars on the road, including driveshafts, differentials and cylinder blocks.

Forty years on from the original model’s launch, GAZOO Racing presented radical technical transformations of the original coupe at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon. The AE86 Carbon Neutral Project equipped two coupes with new powertrains: the AE86 H2 Concept with a hydrogen combustion engine and the AE86 BEV concept with a battery electric system and manual transmission, demonstrating how new zero-emission technologies can be adopted while retaining traditional driving rewards.

FROM THE HIGHWAY TO RALLY STAGE AND RACETRACK: COROLLA IN MOTORSPORT

• Championship-winning success in race and rally competition

• Corolla wins Toyota the 1999 World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title

• Toyota using Corolla in Japanese endurance racing to test new hydrogen combustion engine technology

Although not defined as a sports model, the Corolla has enjoyed success in motorsport at world level, most notably with Toyota Team Europe (TTE) under the leadership of Swedish rallying legend Ove Andersson.

Before the founding of TTE in 1975, it was a Corolla that claimed Toyota’s first victory in the World Rally Championship (WRC). A second-generation Corolla, based on the road-going 1600 SR model, entered and won the Press-on-Regardless Rally in the USA.

A TTE-entered Corolla began to enjoy success in local European events in 1975, before claiming the team’s first WRC victory at the 1,000 Lakes Rally, the precursor of today’s Rally Finland. The winning car was a 1.6-litre Corolla Levin driven by Hannu Mikkola, who prevailed in a close battle with rivals from Ford and Saab.

International motorsport rules limited Corolla's potential as a WRC contender, so it was successive Celica models that claimed glory. A turning point came in 1997 when new rules allowed teams to install engines that were not used in the production versions of their cars. Thus, the European Corolla AE111 was equipped with a 2.0-litre unit and went on to win three events in 1998 and claim the WRC manufacturers’ title for Toyota in 1999.

Corolla has proved its quality as a racing car, too, competing in national, European and world touring car championships. Notably, the Corolla AE86 (GT) won back-to-back series in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in 1986 and 1987. A current Corolla has competed in the BTCC since 2019.

Since 2021, Toyota and ROOKIE Racing have competed with a hydrogen-fuelled GR Corolla H2 Concept in Japan’s Super Taikyu endurance racing series. The competition is helping Toyota develop hydrogen combustion engine technology that can help retain the traditional sounds, power and driving experience of performance engines with near-zero carbon emissions.

A KEY MODEL FOR TOYOTA IN EUROPE

• First produced in Europe in 1971 from complete knock-down kits
• Full-scale European Corolla manufacturing since 1994
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK is the European centre for Corolla hatchback and Touring Sports production
• Corolla Sedan production by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey
• Almost 9.5 million Corolla sales in Europe to date

Europe was recognised as a valuable market for the Corolla from the car’s early development stage and the first models were shipped to the region in April 1967. From 1971, cars were produced from complete knock-down kits by Toyota’s manufacturing partner Caetano in Portugal.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, new Corolla models were designed and engineered to better suit European driving conditions and market preferences. Sales grew steadily as Corolla evolved, leading to the launch of full-scale European production in Turkey in 1994, true to Toyota’s philosophy of making cars local to the markets where they will be sold and driven.

Toyota’s investment in Europe has helped propel Corolla sales in the region to a total of almost 9.5 million to date – around one in six of all Corolla models sold worldwide.

Today, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK) is the European centre for Corolla Hatchback and Touring Sports production. It also manufactures a local van conversion – the Corolla Commercial – and the high-performance GR Corolla for export to North America.

The Burnaston car plant in Derbyshire began making Corolla with the eighth-generation liftback and three-door hatchback models from 1998, progressing to the ninth generation from 2001. Auris production commenced in 2007 and in 2010 TMUK had the distinction of becoming Toyota’s first European centre for hybrid vehicle production.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) began building the seventh-generation Corolla at its Adapazari plant in Sakarya from 1994 and continued with production of the eighth and ninth generations (including the wagon and Corolla Verso) and the 11^th and current generations.

Today, Corolla production at TMMT is focused on the Sedan, manufactured alongside the Toyota C-HR.

COROLLA TODAY: 60^th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITIONS

• Toyota marks Corolla’s 60^th anniversary with limited edition models

• European-built Hatchback, Touring Sports and Sedan models featuring unique styling elements, enhanced standard equipment specifications and commemorative badging

• Styling for global models created in Europe at Toyota’s Brussels design studio

To mark Corolla’s 60th anniversary, Toyota is producing special edition versions of the Hatchback, Touring Sports and Sedan, featuring unique styling elements, commemorative badging and enhanced standard equipment specifications.

The 60th Anniversary versions of the Hatchback and Touring Sports, built in the UK by Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, are immediately distinguished from other Corolla models by their exclusive New Boreal Blue metallic paint, presented in a bi-tone execution with a contrasting Night Sky Black roof and pillars.

Their special status is also expressed in new-look 10-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels with a contrast matt and machined finish and chromed black wheel nuts.

Corolla’s sporty styling is highlighted by new matt silver garnishes on the lower front bumper and side sills and dark-plated fog light ornaments and back door and rear bumper corner garnishes. The Touring Sports adds an extra matt silver highlight on the lower rear bumper. Externally, the finishing touch is provided by stylish matt silver 60th Anniversary decals on the lower edge of the rear doors.

Inside the car, there are sleek matt silver scuff plates bearing the 60th Anniversary logo and front and rear carpet mats in black textile with co-ordinating matt silver inserts.

The sophisticated Corolla Sedan, produced by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey, has its own signature Lunar Sky Blue paint finish and shares most of the special styling features with its sister Hatchback and Touring Sports models, including the external garnish details, 17-inch wheels, 60th Anniversary badging, scuff plates and carpet mats. In addition, there is a matt silver highlight strip along the bottom edge of the boot lid.

Customers have further paintwork colour options for the 60th Anniversary models – Platinum White Pearl premium finish and Ash Grey metallic.

The Corolla’s hybrid system delivers characteristically quiet, smooth and highly efficient performance. Hatchback and Touring Sports customers have 1.8 hybrid and 1.5 petrol powertrain options, according to their local market availability.

A high equipment specification for the latest Corolla range provides a fully digital user experience as standard with a customisable 12.3-inch driver’s combimeter and the Toyota Smart Connect+ multimedia system with 10.5-inch touchscreen. The multimedia package includes access to cloud-based navigation, benefiting from up-to-the-moment traffic information, together with an embedded route planning system.

A comprehensive package of Toyota T-Mate active safety and driving assistance systems is also provided as standard. This includes Toyota Safety Sense features designed to recognise and react to an extensive range of common accident risk scenarios, alerting the driver and helping them avoid or mitigate the consequences of an impact. The functions include a Pre-Collision System with Intersection Collision Avoidance, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert and Lane Trace Assist, Emergency Steering Assist and Road Sign Assist. New and enhanced safety and multimedia functions are delivered seamlessly with over-the-air updates.

The 60th Anniversary Corolla models are available to order now, with deliveries to customers from the end of October.

TOYOTA COROLLA CONCEPT

• Toyota Corolla Concept revealed at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show

• Concept designed to accommodate multiple powertrain options

• Design guided by “Max Vision” and “Max Space” themes

The Corolla story is set to continue, with Toyota exploring radical ideas about how the model might evolve in the future with the unveiling of the Toyota Corolla Concept at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show.

Speaking at the concept’s unveiling, Koji Sato, then Toyota Motor Corporation President, explained how Corolla has always been the perfect representation of Toyota’s people-focused manufacturing spirit – in Japanese, its Monozukuri.

He said: “Regardless of its look or body type, it has always been the Corolla. That’s why the Corolla has always been ‘a car for everyone’.”

The key ideas that guided the concept’s creation were “max vision” and “max space” – developing a vehicle that is compact yet feels spacious; highly architectural yet warm and domestic; and minimalist yet full of personality, with objects that create emotional value, almost like a living room or tiny studio apartment – reflected in a striking exterior design with a large, steeply raked windscreen and a spacious interior with a low instrument panel.

Toyota sold 873,445 vehicles in the first nine months of 2026, up 0.9% year-on-year, with battery electric vehicle sales increasing by 151% to 98,148 units, led by the newly launched Toyota C-HR+ and Toyota bZ4X. Toyota Professional delivered 113,352 sales. Lexus sold 62,597 vehicles, with electrified models accounting for 96% of sales and continued strong demand for the LBX Hybrid and battery electric RZ.

Brands and model performance

Toyota sold 873,445 vehicles between January and September 2026, retaining its position as the second best-selling passenger car brand in Europe. Yaris Cross remained the best-selling model in the Toyota line-up, accounting for 18% of brand sales. Other top sellers included the Yaris and Corolla ranges, Toyota C-HR, Toyota C-HR+ and Aygo X. Toyota's overall electrified sales mix reached 86%, an increase of 11 percentage points year-on-year. Battery electric vehicle sales rose by 151% to 98,148 vehicles, with the Toyota C-HR+ leading the brand's battery electric passenger car sales, followed by bZ4X, Urban Cruiser and bZ4X Touring.

Toyota Professional recorded 113,352 sales across the Hilux and Proace family in the first nine months of 2026. Sales of the all-electric Proace and Proace City increased by 25% and 27% respectively. Proace Max BEV sales rose by 149% to 3,379 vehicles, while the new Hilux BEV recorded 441 sales.

Lexus achieved 62,597 sales in the first nine months of 2026, with electrified vehicles accounting for 96% of total sales. The LBX remained the brand's best-selling model with 20,512 vehicles sold. Battery electric Lexus RZ sales grew by 47%, while RX Plug-in Hybrid sales increased by 8%.

TME highlights January – September 2026:

• Total sales: 936,042 (+0.6% year-on-year)
• Total electrified sales: 813,623 (+13% year-on-year)
• Total electrified mix: West Europe: 92%, Central Europe: 84%, East Europe*: 59% - total: 87% (+10 pp year-on-year)
• Battery electric vehicle sales: 104,832 (+136% year-on-year)

Toyota highlights January – September 2026:

• Toyota sales: 873,445 (+0.9% year-on-year)
• Top sellers (passenger): Yaris Cross Hybrid (155,066); Yaris range (125,260); Corolla range (113,583); Toyota C-HR range (101,139); Aygo X range (82,581); RAV4 range (41,697)
• Total electrified sales: 753,665 (+15% year-on-year)
• Top electrified (passenger): Yaris Cross Hybrid (155,066); Yaris Hybrid (125,258); Toyota C-HR Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (101,139); Corolla Hybrid (93,350); Aygo X Hybrid (78,509); RAV4 Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (41,000), Toyota C-HR+ (29,616), Toyota bZ4X (26,270)
• Toyota Professional sales (Hilux and Proace family): 113,352
• Electrified mix: West Europe: 91%, Central Europe: 83%, East Europe*: 59% - total: 86% (+11 pp year-on-year)

Lexus highlights January – September 2026:

• Total Lexus sales: 62,597 (-4% year-on-year)
• Top sellers: LBX Hybrid (20,512); NX range (19,032); RX (6,177); UX (5,807); RZ (5,654)
• Total electrified sales: 59,958 (-2% year-on-year)
• Top electrified: LBX Hybrid (20,512); NX Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (18,899); UX Hybrid/BEV (5,807); RZ (5,654); RX Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (5,555)
• Electrified mix: West Europe: 100%, Central Europe: 100%, East Europe*: 61% - total: 96%

Sales for January – September 2026 are listed below:

(1) Toyota Motor Europe is responsible for all Western, Central and Eastern European countries including Turkey as well as Israel and a number of Central Asian markets (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kazakhstan). TME discontinued sales in Russia in 2022.

(2) European sales excluding Russia.

*East Europe includes Kazakhstan, Caucasus, Ukraine, Turkey and Israel.

GAZOO Racing has revealed further details about its fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV)* challenge on the 2027 Dakar Rally, including the driver-navigator crew for the gruelling event, as well as the first technical information about the DKR GR FC Hilux.

As part of its commitment to making ever-better motorsports-bred cars, GAZOO Racing will enter the Dakar Future Mission 1000 category, which is dedicated to experimental vehicles and new technologies. This project marks Toyota’s first full-fledged entry in a motorsport competition with a hydrogen-powered FCEV. The project is also a further example of GAZOO Racing utilizing the motorsport arena to train people and develop talent.

Testing Start:

A short and intense development programme involved close cooperation between several parties to create the new DKR GR FC Hilux. Toyota’s European R&D centre near Brussels, Belgium cooperated with Overdrive Racing – which operates the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC team and developed the DKR GR Hilux – as well as TOYOTA RACING GmbH in Cologne and Toyota Motor Corporation.

Construction of the DKR GR FC Hilux is now complete and it is undergoing dynamic testing prior to its competitive debut.

Driver Announcement:

Saudi rally driver, Dania Akeel will drive the DKR GR FC Hilux in testing and in its first competition, the Dakar Rally.

Since starting her rally-raid career in 2021, Akeel has become an experienced and successful competitor. In her first Dakar Rally, she earned a top 10 finish in the T3 class and, became a Dakar Rally stage winner in 2025 in the Challenger category. She went on to successfully secure multi-stage wins during the W2RC 2025 and 2026 seasons and was the Challenger class winner of the W2RC Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. She is also a two-time winner of the FIA Middle East Baja Cup, at the wheel of an Overdrive Racing-entered Toyota Hilux in 2024 and 2025.

Dania Akeel: “This is a great opportunity for me to learn how new technologies are brought to life in the automotive world. To witness such a pioneering venture from the driver’s seat is a truly unique experience, which I hold as both a privilege and a pleasure. And to be able to share my feedback as a driver into the development of these technologies is very special.

In rally-raid our biggest asset as a driver is to be able to race in diverse terrain and conditions requiring us to be flexible and effective in changing environments. Perfect for testing the Reliability and durability of any new car or technology to the limit. And this I believe will also help me enhance my skills by adapting to evolving technologies and to grow as a driver."

Technical Specification:

Based on the same platform as the DKR GR Hilux, the DKR GR FC Hilux uses the same tubular frame, safety cell, suspension and brakes. It is equipped with a high-output unit that combines two fuel cell stacks into a single system and uses the same high-pressure hydrogen tanks as Mirai.

A dedicated e-axle, an IAV Dragoon ECU and a new electronics system have been specifically selected, while innovative solutions such as natural fibre panels – replacing some carbon fibre parts – and a new high-voltage cooling system will also be introduced. The vehicle will run on OPEN COUNTRY tyres from TOYO TIRE.

By combining production parts and advanced technology, GAZOO Racing will test components in the harsh environment of the Dakar Future Mission 1000 category. The experience gained will enable knowledge transfer which can benefit the development of future road cars and fuel cell applications.

With the support of its official sponsor Jameel Motorsport, and partners DENSO, TOYO TIRE and IAV and PRF, Toyota continues to advance its challenge to explore the potential of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in motorsports.

*FCEV: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. The electricity powering the vehicle is generated on board by the fuel cell from hydrogen, which can be produced from various energy sources, including fossil sources. Emissions can be associated with other aspects of the car's life cycle (including its manufacture, maintenance, end-of-life), from the production of hydrogen fuel and from day-to-day usage, such as from the tyres and brakes.

In difficult conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the team won for the fourth time this season to secure its eighth manufacturers’ World Championship, in its first year as TOYOTA RACING.

Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa were victorious in the #8 TR010 HYBRID, extending their lead in the drivers’ standings.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries completed a perfect day for the team by finishing second in the #7 TR010 HYBRID. With one race to go, they are 17 points behind their team-mates in the fight for the drivers’ title, which is now a two-way contest between the TR010 HYBRID crews.

TOYOTA RACING has now completed a clean sweep of both World Championships and victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the team’s home race, the 6 Hours of Fuji, in the debut season of the TR010 HYBRID.

A spectacular performance in Spain was built on a strong opening hour when the drivers took advantage of changing conditions on wet tyres. After starting second, Sébastien quickly took the lead in his 100th WEC race. From ninth on the grid, Nyck rapidly moved up the field and into second late in the opening hour.

Sébastien served a five-second penalty for a starting procedure offence at his second pit stop, without any long-term impact on the race. At half-distance, Brendon led Kamui by 10 seconds, with the chasing pack over 20 seconds behind.

Despite a safety car closing the field with two hours to go, the two TR010 HYBRIDs set new fastest laps and rebuilt their advantage. They safely negotiated lapped traffic through the closing stages whilst preserving their comfortable gap. Ryō crossed the line just 0.583secs ahead of Nyck to earn the team’s first one-two since Bahrain last season.

The close fight between the TR010 HYBRIDs will resume in the eighth and final round of the season, the 6 Hours of Monza on 8 November, when the drivers’ title battle will be decided.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7): “Congratulations to the whole team for winning the race and the manufacturers’ World Championship here already. I’m very proud of all the team members involved in this, in Cologne and at Higashi-Fuji, as well as the Toyota family, our partners and of course, Morizo-san and Nakajima-san. It’s a huge achievement to win Le Mans and now the manufacturers’ title, especially after we were struggling last year. We introduced the TR010 HYBRID and that has brought us to the top again. The drivers’ title is now between car #7 and car #8, so I think we can enjoy the last race.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7): “On our car, we challenged for the win and didn’t quite make it. But it’s great to get a one-two finish and wrap up the manufacturers’ title. Against such a competitive field, it’s really impressive to do that with one race to go, so big congratulations to everyone. The drivers’ title is still open, so for the #7 car, we will just try to regroup and improve for the next race.”

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “It’s a great result for the team. I think we executed well, very cleanly, with no mistakes, so it was a really strong performance from everyone. Obviously, it’s very important to secure the manufacturers' World Championship and to know that a TOYOTA RACING car crew will win the drivers' title as well. That’s a nice feeling going into the final round.”

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8): “It’s obviously an amazing day for the whole team. There was a lot of stress and I'm still a bit mad at myself for the penalty at the start, but my team-mates made up for it. I’m really happy to celebrate the title with the whole team with a one-two. After a difficult season last year, it shows how hard the team worked over the winter to introduce the TR010 HYBRID and win Le Mans and both titles. Now hopefully Brendon, Ryō and me can win the drivers’ title in Monza.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8): “It’s a fantastic day for the team with a one-two and the manufacturers’ title. I enjoyed the whole weekend. Actually, we hadn’t tested here, and we didn't expect to be so strong, but our crew worked very well, and we had a great car in the race. Today I'm not thinking about the drivers’ championship, it's all about celebrating the title with the team. Congratulations to everyone involved, it's been a massive effort to fight back and take the manufacturers’ World Championship. It's a huge deal for everyone involved and I'm proud to be part of it.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “We were really motivated after our Fuji victory, and we came here with a lot of momentum. There were a lot of things to explore because we never tested here, but everyone did a good job, the car was flying, and everything went well. This victory is something we worked very hard for. There was no luck, we just grabbed it. It’s good to secure the manufacturers’ title but the drivers’ is still open. We’ll keep pushing and hopefully we can win that with car #8.”

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A strong race result could secure the manufacturers’ World Championship for TOYOTA RACING with one race still to go, and qualifying at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya laid the foundations for its challenge in Sunday’s race.

Ryō Hirakawa earned second place in the #8 TR010 HYBRID he shares with Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley, just 0.170secs away from the pole-sitting Genesis. The #8 crew currently lead the drivers’ standings and could seal the title on Sunday if results go their way.

The #7 TR010 HYBRID crew of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries are also in the drivers’ title battle, just 10 points behind their team-mates. They will start from ninth on the grid.

Qualifying took place in warm, dry conditions in contrast to the weather forecast for Sunday, when rain is predicted. Nyck and Ryō were at the wheel for the first 12-minute session, aiming to progress to Hyperpole. On medium Michelin tyres, Nyck set one flying lap time and progressed in eighth place while Ryō improved on his second lap, ending the session in second.

In Hyperpole, the fastest 10 Hypercars battled for the top grid positions, again on medium tyres, and both TR010 HYBRIDs set their best laps on their first efforts. Ryō was again among the fastest on track and scored the team’s second front-row start of the season. Meanwhile, Nyck missed out on the top six by just over a tenth of a second.

That qualifying performance gives TOYOTA RACING the platform to challenge at the front and take important steps towards both World Championships when the 6 Hours of Barcelona begins at midday local time on Sunday.

Quotes:

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “It was a positive day for the team. Ryō did a great job qualifying on the front row of the grid. It was a little bit more challenging for our car. Still, it’s a good basis and tomorrow there is the potential for rain, so a lot of things can happen. We'll do our best, try to execute a clean race and gain some positions.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “The car was really fast today, the team did a great job. Potentially I could have been even faster but there were double yellow flags on my second push lap in Hyperpole. That was a pity, but being on the front row is good and I’m happy with the result. From there we can have a nice race tomorrow, hopefully.”

6 Hours of Barcelona – Hyperpole

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After winning at Fuji Speedway in the last race, TOYOTA RACING leads the manufacturers’ and drivers’ World Championships, with the possibility of securing both titles this weekend. To do so, it must overcome a closely-matched Hypercar field on a track hosting its first WEC race.

The TR010 HYBRID recorded its first laps of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in two 90-minute sessions and a busy day ended with both cars in the top 10. Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries were fifth fastest in the #7, while Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa – who lead the drivers’ standings – were eighth in the #8.

The WEC’s only previous visit to Barcelona was the pre-season Prologue test in 2019, while the team tested on the track in 2021. Engineers and drivers therefore worked intensively during Friday’s two sessions to analyse the behaviour of the Michelin tyres and adjust set-ups for the 4.657km circuit, which features a slightly different layout compared to the team’s previous visits.

Work got underway late on a warm, dry morning with a productive first session without interruptions. Sébastien’s lap put the #8 TR010 HYBRID in sixth place at the end, while Nyck’s best time earned 11th for the #7.

Engineers used the three-and-a-half hours before second practice to analyse tyre data and optimise set-ups. Another trouble-free session brought more experience with the tyres and progress on car balance. Nyck’s lap earned fifth place for the #7 and Ryō recorded the best time in the #8 for eighth.

The team has a final opportunity to fine-tune the performance of its TR010 HYBRIDs in third practice, which takes place for Hypercars on Saturday lunchtime. Hypercar qualifying takes place at 3.40pm CEST on Saturday, while the 6 Hours of Barcelona begins at midday on Sunday.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7): “It’s nice to be back in Barcelona. We’ve not been here since we tested in 2021, so it’s our first time here with the TR010 HYBRID. The track is a bit different since then, so it was a bit like learning a new track. We saw that there is quite a lot of tyre degradation, so we are trying to figure out how to manage that and have a good car balance. We’re still working on this and hopefully we will find improvements.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7): “It’s good to be back here in Barcelona. It’s been a while. Today we were just trying to learn as much as we can about the tyres and how to manage them in the race. The target was to complete a lot of laps and we achieved that. We tried some set-up things as well and I think it was a productive day.”

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “I think it's been a decent day overall. Tyre degradation will be a hot topic here this weekend, unless it rains for the race. We made a positive start, but we still have some performance to find, especially when it comes to tyre and race strategy, but we are getting there.”

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8): “It was a good first day. I’m happy to start my 100th WEC race weekend with a lot of laps. As always, it's a very tight field, so it's going to be important to optimise our car and adapt to the conditions. We know how hard it is to pass here, so hopefully we can have a strong qualifying. It's been a positive start. Now we will analyse the data for tomorrow.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8): “It was a clean and positive day. Some teams have tested here but we haven’t, so we had a bit of catching up to do. I think we're all up to speed now. We're a bit behind a couple of our competitors, but we’ve learned a lot about the tyres, so I think there's everything to play for on Sunday.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “It was a very busy day as it’s obviously a new track for us with the TR010 HYBRID. We explored different set-ups and focused mainly on the longer runs. It seems like we made a good start, which is encouraging for the rest of the weekend. So far, given the experience we have at this track with our car, we had a very productive day. Now it’s about fine-tuning for tomorrow.”

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As EU legislators shape the Industrial Accelerator Act and the Automotive Package, and the UK Government reviews its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, Toyota calls on policymakers to act pragmatically and with partnership in focus, to secure the future of Europe's automotive industry.

Toyota speaks as a manufacturer with more than 60 years in Europe, where it designs, develops and builds vehicles, engines and hybrid systems and invests in skills and know-how together with European partners and suppliers.

Toyota fully supports Europe's climate goals and believes that the decisions taken in the coming months must combine ambition with pragmatism including rules that reflect real customer demand, include an openness to all technologies that reduce CO₂ and embraces the significant contribution of trusted partners.

From "Made in Europe" to "Made with Europe"

Toyota supports the ambition of the Industrial Accelerator Act to strengthen Europe's industrial base. However, ambition must be matched by scale. Together with trusted partners such as the UK, Türkiye and Japan, Europe's market reaches around 31 million vehicles, and that is the scale it needs to compete globally.

Toyota believes that an EU-only assembly rule would send the wrong signal to long-standing investors - a vehicle made in Europe reflects far more than the origin of its parts. It also reflects the engineering, research and development, assembly and skilled jobs behind it. Toyota is calling on EU legislators to:

• Use a ‘Made with Europe’ approach - recognise a limited number of trusted free-trade and customs-union partners where there is full reciprocity, among them the UK, Türkiye and Japan.
• Phase in European-content requirements – build towards 70% after three years, based on the ex-works value of the vehicle and recognising value created through engineering, R&D and the final assembly.
• Do not apply substantive automotive requirements before 2030, in line with vehicle-development and supply-chain investment cycles.
• Set a more realistic threshold for overall vehicle sales of 70%, encouraging localisation but avoiding the proposed 85% threshold which creates disproportionate compliance risks.
• Apply one consistent set of rules across public procurement, incentives and corporate fleets, so that vehicles made with trusted partners qualify equally.
• Temporarily exclude fuel-cell vehicles give the market and European supply chain time to develop before localisation rules apply.

CO₂ rules that are ambitious and achievable – and in pace with market demand

The Automotive Package should keep an ambitious direction for 2035. It must also give manufacturers the flexibility to respond to the real pace of customer demand and market change. Battery-electric vehicles are forecast to make up around 45% of new cars by 2030, while current rules require more than 55%. For LCVs, the gap is wider. Without flexibility, manufacturers will be forced to spend on compliance rather than on the technologies Europe needs.

Toyota is therefore calling on EU legislators to:

• Introduce a five-year compliance window from 2028 to 2032 to smooth the transition through 2030 and 2031; and set a 90% CO₂ reduction target for 2035, with additional flexibilities for renewable fuels and green steel to close the remaining gap.
• Treat LCVs separately, with a 35% reduction target for 2030 and 80% for 2035, and five-year averaging to reflect business customers' needs for range, payload and uptime.
• Recognise vehicles exclusively running only on renewable eligible fuels [VEEF] as zero-emission, under one EU definition aligned with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III).
• Review targets regularly if demand or infrastructure does not develop as expected.

A realistic pathway for the UK, aligned with the EU

Toyota welcomes the UK Government's review of the ZEV mandate. The move to zero-emission vehicles must stay on track, but at a pace that reflects real customer demand. With 2030 only three years away, investment decisions taken now will shape production to 2035 and beyond. Manufacturers and suppliers need a clear, realistic framework to invest with confidence.

Toyota is asking the UK Government to:

• Set realistic 2030 levels, with a maximum ZEV share of 50% for cars and 40% for LCVs with flexibilities.
• Define the framework for 2035 now, giving industry long-term direction.
• Keep practical compliance options, extending flexibilities to 2035.
• Align more closely with the EU by adopting a similar five-year approach.
• Recognise renewable fuels as a route to decarbonisation and consider a UK equivalent of the EU's VEEF approach.
• Complete the ZEV mandate revision in 2027.

See further information in the documents attached.

After an exciting victory on home ground at Fuji Speedway in the previous race, the team travels to Spain for the penultimate round of the season at the top of both World Championships. Its third win of the season extended the gap in the manufacturers’ standings to 23 points, while in the drivers’ championship, the two TR010 HYBRID crews are first and second.

A second win of the season for the #8 TR010 HYBRID crew of Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa elevated them to the top of the standings. The #7 TR010 HYBRID drivers, Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, are just 10 points behind.

Barcelona represents a significant landmark for Sébastien, who will become the first driver to reach 100 WEC race starts. Sébastien is the only active driver to have been with the team since its first race, at Le Mans in 2012. In that time, he has won 28 times – including four times at Le Mans – on his way to four World Championship titles so far.

Meanwhile, Mike is preparing for the penultimate race in his illustrious racing career, having announced earlier this month that he will retire from full-time competition at the end of the WEC season.

The 6 Hours of Barcelona is a new addition to the WEC calendar, replacing – along with November’s race in Monza – the races originally scheduled in the Middle East. The 4.657km circuit, located around 30km north of Barcelona in the town of Montmeló, has been a regular feature on the calendar of many championships since it opened in 1991.

Although this will be WEC’s first race in Spain, it is not the series’ first visit to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. It hosted the pre-season Prologue test in July 2019, when Mike, Kamui, Sébastien and Brendon were among the team’s line-up at the wheel of the TS050 HYBRID. Ryō has the most recent experience of the track via his Formula 1 testing and free practice roles.

The TR010 HYBRIDs will complete their first laps in Barcelona during two free practice sessions on Friday 16 October. Saturday hosts final practice and qualifying (3.40pm CEST), before Sunday’s race, which begins at midday CEST.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car #7): “This is another important race for the World Championship. With only two races left, there’s no room for mistakes – we need to maximise our results with both cars to stay in a strong position for the final race. We’re entering the unknown to a certain extent because we don’t have much experience of Barcelona, although it’s a track all drivers know well from earlier in our careers. It means we need to work particularly hard in free practice to find the right set-up direction for the race. We’ll be pushing hard to have the best chance on race day.”

Mike Conway (Driver, car #7): “This is obviously my first race since announcing my retirement at the end of the season. I am determined to create more happy memories over the rest of the season, starting in Barcelona. Racing there again is like going back to my younger days, because I drove there regularly in my junior career. I’m looking forward to being there again and seeing what our TR010 HYBRID can do.”

Nyck de Vries (Driver, car #7): “I’m looking forward to Barcelona. It’s a track where I have had some success in the past, winning in Formula 2 and junior series, so I know it well. It’s a big weekend for the team, and also for our car, in terms of the championship. We’ve been a bit unfortunate on our side of the garage in the last two races, so we want to reverse that trend.”

Sébastien Buemi (Driver, car #8): “A hundred races is a cool milestone and a nice opportunity to think again about all those races, the ones we have won, as well as the ones we have lost together as a team. I can’t believe we have done so many races together. We’re always looking to the future and the next race, so I don’t really think about being with the team since the comeback in 2012. I feel proud and honoured to reach 100 WEC races and I hope to be around for a bit longer still. It’s fitting to reach this number on the back of the win at Fuji, which was one of our best because of the great job we all did as a team. I have so many good memories of winning championships and Le Mans, but that’s the past. We want to focus on the next races and obviously I hope we will be able to score some decent points in Barcelona to help us in the World Championship.”

Brendon Hartley (Driver, car #8): “As drivers, I think we all know Barcelona pretty well from earlier in our careers, but as a team there’s a lot to learn about how our TR010 HYBRID works on this track. Barcelona was actually my first official appearance for TOYOTA, back at the Prologue in 2019. It’s nice to think back and consider how much we’ve experienced together since then. I hope we can add some more good memories this weekend. We’ll be doing our best.”

Ryō Hirakawa (Driver, car #8): “It’s great to be racing again so soon after our victory at Fuji. That put us in a strong position in the World Championship and gives us positive momentum for the last two races. It will be a tough weekend, I’m sure, because we haven’t tested our TR010 HYBRID at Barcelona before, unlike some of our rivals. But we showed at Fuji what is possible with strong teamwork and good strategy so I’m optimistic we can fight at the front again.”

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The British driver has played a significant role in the team’s development and success since joining in 2014, helping TOYOTA to seven manufacturers’ World Championships. In that time, Mike has won 20 WEC races, including the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2021 and 2026, and two drivers’ titles (2019-20 and 2021).

Alongside #7 TR010 HYBRID team-mates Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries, Mike is currently second in this season’s drivers’ standings, just 10 points behind team-mates Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa with two races remaining.

TOYOTA RACING expresses its genuine appreciation to Mike for his unending dedication and strong team spirit over 12 seasons. His last race for the team – his 94th in total for TOYOTA – will be the 6 Hours of Monza on 8 November.

Quotes:

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal): “It has been a pleasure to race the #7 car with Mike for so many years. We have shared so many emotional moments together, particularly at Le Mans. Some of my most incredible memories in racing have come alongside Mike. He has been an incredible team-mate, not only in terms of speed and consistency, but on a human level as well. He has become a friend to many of us, and we will miss having him in the team. But nothing lasts forever in motorsports, and we all want to wish Mike a deserved, and very happy, retirement with his family.”

Evans went head-to-head with his team-mates Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg in the deciding rally with all three vying to be crowned world champion for the first time.

Playing host to the season finale for the first time, the sandy and rough gravel roads of the Italian island proved as demanding as usual. Following a hot and dry summer, the loose and sandy surface would produce a significant road cleaning effect for the three contenders to deal with during the first full day on Friday.

While Evans entered the final round with a lead of 17 points over Pajari and 21 over Solberg, he also faced the toughest task opening the road and finished Friday in sixth overall. While Pajari was just one position ahead in fifth, Solberg took advantage of his more advantageous position to end Friday in third and within striking distance of the rally lead, which he then seized on Saturday morning.

With Solberg comfortably leading the rally into the final day and Evans in fifth overall, and the virtual gap between them reduced to six points, the battle would be decided by the 10 bonus points available across the Super Sunday and Power Stage classifications.

Continuing to show impressive pace, Solberg established an early lead in the Sunday standings with a strong stage win in the opening Osilo – Tergu test, but the subsequent Sassari – Argentiera beach – noted for its sandy downhill finish – would provide a different dynamic with conditions deteriorating for later runners.

A major twist followed in the second pass of Osilo – Tergu when Evans stopped to change a punctured tyre, conceding close to two minutes. While he held on to fifth overall, he dropped out of contention for Sunday points and headed into the rally-ending Power Stage with a virtual lead of just one point over Solberg.

The final stage of the season therefore effectively became a straight shootout between the two in the knowledge that whoever set the quicker time would be world champion. Knowing the time of Evans that he had to beat, Solberg was faster on the split times during a committed run but ran off the road in the final stretch. While Solberg managed to get back on the road and still secure the rally victory, he finished the stage 8.9s down on Evans.

Evans and Martin’s first world title represents a hard-earned reward after seven seasons consistently fighting at the front of the field with TGR-WRT, during which they finished as championship runners-up in five of the previous six years. Their 2026 campaign has been built on typically strong consistency, as well as two impressive victories in Sweden and Japan and calculated pace when required to score well on Sundays even when opening the road through a string of consecutive gravel rallies.

Evans is the first Welsh driver to ever win the title, and follows in the footsteps of Scotland’s Colin McRae and England’s Richard Burns as a World Rally Champion from the United Kingdom. Martin is the first English co-driver to win the title, joining fellow Britons David Richards, Derek Ringer, Robert Reid and Phil Mills on that honour list.

It is the seventh time in eight years that a TGR-WRT crew has been crowned world champions, and the fifth time in six years that the team has swept all three championships having already secured the manufacturers’ crown at the previous round in Chile.

Solberg finishes just five points behind in the championship along with co-driver Elliott Edmondson in their first full season competing at the highest level. They began the season with an epic victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo, and their speed was never in doubt, winning more stages than anybody else through the season. After a character-building mid-season period, they have bounced back from being 59 points adrift to end the year with back-to-back victories in Chile and Sardinia.

Their win is a record-equalling 12th from 13 rallies this season – and record-extending 48th in total – for the GR YARIS Rally1 car in its fifth and final season of the current homologation cycle before new technical regulations are introduced for 2027.

Pajari finishes third in the championship, six points behind, together with co-driver Marko Salminen after a breakthrough season of their own – just their second full campaign at the top level. Their Sardinia podium is their ninth of the season – more than anybody else – and Pajari matches Solberg in taking three victories.

Sébastien Ogier finished second in the rally to claim a record 121st WRC podium, moving ahead of fellow nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb, on the very same event that he made a record 214th start, surpassing his Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala. Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais finish the year fourth in the standings with six podiums from 11 rallies entered.

Takamoto Katsuta made it five GR YARIS Rally1 drivers in the top six of the rally and the points standings at the end of a breakout year with co-driver Aaron Johnston that included their first wins in Kenya and Croatia, Katsuta becoming the first Japanese driver to lead the championship in the process.

Roope Korhonen and Anssi Viinikka secured their second WRC2 victory of the year by just 0.7s driving their GR Yaris Rally2 car entered by Rautio Motorsport and run by Printsport, a result that allows them to finish second in the championship standings.

Quotes:
Akio Toyoda (TGR-WRT Chairman)
“I'd like to send three messages to Elfyn and Scott, who have finally become world champions: congratulations, thank you, and sorry.

Since joining the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing family in 2020, Elfyn has finished just one place short of the championship five times, including three consecutive seasons from 2023 onward. After so many seasons of coming painfully close, he has finally achieved the title he has worked so hard for. Congratulations, Elfyn. You really deserve it!

Of course, I can’t really say that out loud. Publicly, I have to say that I want all our drivers to win. But if I’m being honest, this year I was cheering for Elfyn. Sorry, Sami and Oliver, but I simply couldn’t let Elfyn and Scott end up second again. Elfyn, congratulations. Truly, truly congratulations!

The “thank you” is for everything Elfyn and Scott have done for the team over the years. Those five second-place championship finishes are proof of how consistently they have delivered points. Thanks to the points they contributed season after season, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has been able to keep winning manufacturers’ titles.

Their contribution goes far beyond points. At the final round of the 2021 season, with the drivers’ championship on the line, Elfyn and Scott went off the road. Afterwards, they shared information with the team about sections where grip was particularly low. Thanks to that information, Seb was able to secure the championship. They are the kind of drivers who always think not only about themselves, but about the team as well. Thank you both, truly! (And I think everyone can now understand why I was cheering for Elfyn.)

The “sorry” is because I couldn’t be there with them during the fight for the championship. Whenever I was there, Elfyn has almost always delivered a strong result: four victories and three second-place finishes. That's why I wanted to be there for the rally where he could become champion. Sorry to the other drivers, but I was planning to go to Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow me to attend Sardinia, so I'm relieved that he was able to clinch the title there.

Oliver and Elliott also fought incredibly hard right to the very end. Let's keep pushing together next year!

This rally marks the end of the GR YARIS Rally1's journey. It is a car that has continued to win championships throughout the five seasons since 2022. This year, it became a car that any one of our five drivers could win with. I would like to sincerely thank everyone in the team for pursuing an ever-better, driver-first car.

I am sure the team is already hard at work preparing the next generation of cars. There will be many new challenges ahead. Things may not go perfectly from the start, and that’s okay. Let’s enjoy taking on a new challenge of making ever-better cars together once again!

To Jari-Matti, Juha, everyone in the team, our partners, and all our fans: thank you very much for your support throughout this season.”

Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“This was an incredible finish to what has been a very exciting season. All year we have tried to give all of our drivers an even chance to win and we saw a great fight this weekend. Elfyn and Scott have been working really hard and trying for so many years and now they could finally get the titles that they deserve, so we are really happy for them. Oliver has been so fast and spectacular and gave it everything, and he nearly made it right to the end. It’s an unfortunate finish for him but he and Sami are both young drivers who have had really good seasons, and they can be proud of what they have achieved, as we are of them, and I’m sure they will have more chances to win championships in the future.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“It’s still not really sinking in yet that we’ve managed to get the championship across the line after such a wild final day. We came into it knowing it would be tight and tried what we could today, but there was massive cleaning on the first stage. We managed to pull back some time on the second, but then at the start of the third there were rocks everywhere and we tried to pull our way through, but immediately we punctured. Then we had to lay it all on the line for the Power Stage. It was a messy run so I was pretty sure I hadn’t done enough and Oliver was coming quicker until he had that moment near the end. I feel sorry for him and Elliott because they drove an incredible weekend. But we didn’t only win it there, it was a whole year’s worth of work and I think it’s a championship to be proud of. It’s a bit of a relief after coming close so many times, and I’ve got a lot of people to thank for backing me through the years, especially Scott and the team.”

Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“You could not have scripted a more dramatic finish than what we saw today. In rallying we all know that it’s never over until it’s over. Congratulations to Elfyn and Scott: they have worked so hard over so many years and nobody deserves it more than them. I know that it’s hard for Oliver and Elliott right now after getting so close, but they have impressed all of us with their speed this season and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before they are also world champions. Thank you to everyone in the team for this season and the last five years with this car. It’s amazing to work with you and to always be able to count on a fast and reliable car.”

Oliver Solberg (Driver car 99)
“First of all, I want to say congratulations to Elfyn and Scott. They deserve this for sure, they have been very consistent all season. That I even had a shot with my rollercoaster of a season feels incredible. I started to believe more and more through the weekend, and to get so close, it’s tough. In the Power Stage I knew I had to push hard to beat Elfyn, but I wasn’t sure I was doing enough, so I tried pushing even more. Then I made a small mistake at the end, couldn’t save the car and we went off. For my first season with this team I’m still proud of what we could achieve. I’ve given my heart and tried everything until the very end, and hopefully I have a few more chances to try again.”

Takamoto Katsuta (Driver car 18)
“A big thank you to the whole team that we managed to finish this tough rally. It was such a difficult start with punctures on Friday, but at the end we could finish P6 and have some fun in the last rally with this car, which has been so successful with so much effort behind it from the whole team. Our season started well with two wins and even if we couldn’t keep up the fight in the championship, it was great to see such a fight between my team-mates right until the last corners. Big congratulations to Elfyn and Scott, and also to Oliver and Elliott and Sami and Marko; they have all done a fantastic job and I hope to keep fighting with them in future.”

Sami Pajari (Driver car 5)
“This was a really dramatic end to the season, and even if I didn’t have my best rally here, I’m super happy for Elfyn and Scott: they really deserve this. For my second year at this level, I think I can be very happy with our season, and with our nine podiums and three wins. After an extremely difficult start in Monte Carlo, we took stage wins in almost every rally, got closer and closer in the title fight and in the end we were only six points away. We’re still young, so hopefully we have the chance to chase titles again in the future. I gave everything on the last stage with this car: a big thank you to the whole team and everyone supporting us.”

PROVISIONAL FINAL CLASSIFICATION, RALLY ITALIA SARDEGNA
1 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) 3h24m57.0s
2 Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +57.6s
3 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +1m37.4s
4 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +2m38.6s
5 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +4m48.1s
6 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +6m02.4s
7 Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1) +7m32.2s
8 Roope Korhonen/Anssi Viinikka (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +12m10.4s
9 Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +12m11.1s
10 Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +13m02.2s
(Results as of 16:00 on Sunday, for the latest results please visit www.wrc.com)

2026 FIA World Rally Championship for drivers after round 13:
1 Elfyn Evans 243 points
2 Oliver Solberg 238
3 Sami Pajari 237
4 Sébastien Ogier 189
5 Adrien Fourmaux 183
6 Takamoto Katsuta 175
7 Thierry Neuville 134
8 Hayden Paddon 38
9 Josh McErlean 35
10 Esapekka Lappi 33

2026 FIA World Rally Championship for manufacturers after round 13:
1 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team 662 points
2 Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team 440
3 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT2 251
4 M-Sport Ford World Rally Team 168

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Saturday was the longest day of the rally with 123.66 competitive kilometres to be driven across two loops of three stages.

After a strong performance during the rally’s first full day on Friday, Solberg began the morning in third overall, just 12.3s from the lead. He gained one place already in the day’s opening stage when Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai) was slowed by a loss of tyre pressure, then claimed a pair of stage wins to catch and pass Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) for the lead – a valuable position in his bid to close the 21-point deficit he had to Evans entering the final round.

Solberg started the afternoon with his lead at just 2.7s, but this grew to 36.6s after Neuville stopped with damage in the first stage of the loop. With team-mate Sébastien Ogier now up into second overall and taking two stage wins of his own during the afternoon, Solberg’s advantage at the top stands at 33.6s going into the final day.

With Neuville’s exit and Fourmaux stopping to change a wheel in SS12, Pajari and Evans benefitted to move up to third and fourth overall. Fourmaux did reclaim fourth overall in the day’s last stage, 6.4s ahead of Evans. Takamoto Katsuta has moved up to sixth overall after a trouble-free day.

Based on current overall positions, Evans remains in the lead of the virtual championship standings, six points ahead of Solberg and 12 ahead of Pajari with up to 10 additional bonus points available from the final day; five for the fastest drivers in the rally-ending Power Stage and five more for the quickest drivers across the day in the Super Sunday classification.

There is now a GR Yaris Rally2 1-2-3-4 in the WRC2 class with Roope Korhonen leading Gus Greensmith, Teemu Suninen and Kajetan Kajetanowicz.

Quotes:
Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“It’s very exciting that the fight for the championship is going right down to the final day of the season between our drivers. With just one day to go, it’s now very close between Elfyn and Oliver. So far, Oliver has driven very well to get into the lead of the rally, which is where he really needs to be, and he needs to keep up that performance tomorrow as well and keep taking risks to go for the maximum Sunday points, as he has done many times this year. Elfyn has understandably been on the cautious side so far and has to raise his performance level tomorrow to score the points he needs to hold Oliver off. Sami has been driving consistently and that’s got him up into the podium places, but realistically will need something else to happen tomorrow to have a chance. It’s not all about our drivers because others will be pushing too, so it promises to be a real Super Sunday to end the season.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“We were in a tricky position today. The feeling was OK behind the wheel and we were driving cleanly, but the road was evolving and the grip improving a lot with every car, so with fast drivers starting behind us, it was difficult to try to close the gaps to them. The second pass was quite rough and perhaps we were a bit too conservative in the first two stages, but when Adrien got a puncture and dropped a few seconds behind us, we gave it everything in the last stage to try to keep him behind. One more position would have helped us for tomorrow, but with many cars between us, we didn’t stand much chance. Oliver has been driving very well and put himself in a strong position, but tomorrow is still a long day and we just need to go all in.”

Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“This has been a more positive day for us than yesterday. We managed to climb some positions and I enjoyed this afternoon, especially this first stage of the loop which has the nicest profile of the weekend and was not so rough, and it was good to win two stages. It feels like anything can still happen in this rally, as tomorrow is a long day with some rough sections to drive through. Oliver has done a great job so far and I would not want to wish bad luck on anyone, but it can happen to any of us, myself included, so we just have to keep trying until the end.”

Oliver Solberg (Driver car 99)
“I think this has been one of the toughest days but one of the best also. The feeling in the car has been really good and this morning was quite flat-out to try to get ourselves into the lead, which we were able to do. This afternoon I tried to be a bit more clever and look after the tyres, while a lot of things were happening around us on every stage. On one hand, those incidents for others gave us more of a lead, but they also benefitted our rivals for the championship. But we can’t control anyone else and we just have to keep doing the best we can. Tomorrow the objective is clear and the target will be the full 10 bonus points, as it has been on most Sundays this year.”

Takamoto Katsuta (Driver car 18)
“Today was quite OK for us and better than yesterday, with no problems. It wasn’t easy as we were second on the road, and then we had to open the road this afternoon, but I just tried to drive cleanly and as well as possible. We managed to gain some positions and now our road position should be better for tomorrow with a few cars in front of us. It’s going to be an exciting final day for all the fans to follow and we will just try to enjoy the last day driving this car.”

Sami Pajari (Driver car 5)
“We had high hopes that today could be stronger than yesterday but it seemed that the road order was unfortunately still playing quite a role and it just wasn’t really possible to be faster than the guys who were starting behind us. We haven’t been giving up and we’ve still been trying to do all that we can. We were anticipating that some drama could happen this afternoon, and that allowed us to gain a couple of positions. The situation is not in our hands but I don’t think that anybody will be cruising around tomorrow, so many things can still happen and we just need to keep pushing to the end.”

End of day three (Saturday):
1 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) 2h42m33.2s
2 Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +33.6s
3 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +1m39.9s
4 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +2m32.0s
5 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +2m38.4s
6 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +5m43.9s
7 Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1) +6m01.2s
8 Roope Korhonen/Anssi Viinikka (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +8m23.0s
9 Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +8m42.6s
10 Teemu Suninen/Janni Hussi (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +9m46.6s
(Results as of 20:00 on Saturday, for the latest results please visit www.wrc.com)

What's next?
The final day of the season consists of two returning stages in the north-west of the island each run twice. A final tyre-fitting zone will be held before the second pass of Sassari-Argentiera serves as the season-ending Power Stage.

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TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC (TGR W2RC) overcame the harsh desert environment to take victory in Rallye du Maroc, the penultimate round of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

The new-for-2026 DKR GR Hilux demonstrated its improved performance and durability over a variety of difficult terrain on a rally which tested drivers, navigators and vehicles to their limits.

The 1,508 km of timed action featured rocky tracks and spectacular sand dunes – including a section in the Sahara Desert – on a route which created drama and excitement. TGR W2RC started the final day in first and second overall but faced a high-speed final stage over 259 km to secure a double podium finish.

Seth Quintero and navigator Andrew Short delivered another composed drive to earn their second consecutive W2RC victory. Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings also stood on the podium thanks to their third place. Hilux crews swept the top three, with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa’s João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro finishing second.

Quintero and Short had established a strong foundation for a victory challenge over the opening days before asserting themselves at the front as their rivals fell away. The #203 DKR GR Hilux took the overall lead on the penultimate day and safely navigated Saturday’s finale. Sixth place on Stage 5 confirmed victory by 4 mins 23 secs and elevated the pair into the lead of their respective World Championships.

Lategan and Cummings finished a rollercoaster rally on the podium. The #202 DKR GR Hilux overcame technical issues on Monday to win Stage 2, before losing time as the first car on the road during the following stage. However, they showed strong pace in the final days to move back into podium contention. They held second overall until late in Stage 5 but dropped to third after finishing the day 10th.

Akira Miura and Armand Monleón displayed speed and consistency despite the demanding desert terrain but were denied an overall top-10 finish by technical issues for their #204 DKR GR Hilux on Stage 3. They responded well and recovered positions in the final two stages and ended the rally strongly with 11th place on Stage 5. That left them in 30th overall.

Heading into the final event of the W2RC season, Quintero and Cummings lead their respective World Championships by 14 points. Meanwhile, TGR W2RC is now 46 points behind World Championship leaders Dacia Sandriders, setting up a grandstand finish in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on 22-27 November.

Quotes:

Henk Lategan: “It was a great race for the team, to get a one-three is awesome for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and I’m really happy about that. We had a tough start and day one put us out of position, so we were a bit on the backfoot from there. We opened the stage on a couple of difficult days, but we tried to recover as much as we could and to get a podium is a great result. Well done Seth and Andrew for taking the win.”

Seth Quintero: “It feels absolutely amazing to win, and to get back-to-back wins is simply incredible. Coming away with the World Championship lead means it’s been a great week. Rallye du Maroc was brutal, but the team worked so hard to give me the car I needed every single day. I couldn’t be happier to be part of this awesome TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC family. Now I’m looking forward to the last round where there is everything to fight for.”

Akira Miura: “Firstly, congratulations to Seth and Andrew for their victory, and to Henk and Brett for finishing on the podium. It’s a great result for the team. These five days have been a good experience for me and Armand. We tried many things with the team and built up our confidence. Of course I was aiming for a better overall result, but we will keep pushing until the end of the season. Thanks to the team and all the TGR fans for their support.”

Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Stage 5 result*

Rallye du Maroc – Provisional result*

*Correct at time of publication

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC (TGR W2RC) delivered a powerful team performance on Stage 4 to take a one-two lead into the final day of Rallye du Maroc, the fourth round of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

Friday’s action consisted of a high-speed 319 km timed section, which featured challenging navigation and a demanding variety of surfaces. The loop north-east of Zagora started on fast-flowing tracks before passing through picturesque valleys, canyons and mountain paths. The two lead DKR GR Hilux enjoyed a trouble-free day as the team took control with just one stage to run.

Seth Quintero and navigator Andrew Short took the overall lead after around 100 km of Stage 4 and extended their advantage over the remainder of the day. The #203 DKR GR Hilux finished sixth on the stage but more importantly, established a 2 min 45 secs lead at the top of the overall standings. They have the chance to take the lead in the drivers’ World Championship with a clean run on Stage 5.

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings completed a perfect day for TGR W2RC in the overall results by moving into second place. After losing time opening Thursday’s stage, they made a rapid start today and quickly regained positions. They briefly took the stage lead within the first 100 km and were in the podium positions throughout, finishing Stage 4 in second place in the #202 DKR GR Hilux.

Akira Miura and Armand Monleón responded to their Stage 3 disappointment with a consistent day to add to their experience of desert conditions. Their challenge for the top 10 was derailed by a mechanical issue for the #204 DKR GR Hilux on Thursday, but they resumed at a competitive pace on Stage 4. Despite running in the dust of competitors ahead of them on the stage, they finished 17th, leaving them 35th overall.

After completing more than 1,000 km of timed sections so far, competitors must conquer one final stage to determine the finishing positions in this year’s Rallye du Maroc. Saturday’s Stage 5 includes a 259 km competitive section, taking crews south of Zagora and back again for the podium ceremony.

Quotes:

Henk Lategan: “We had a good day. We started 12th on the road and ended up eighth over the finish line so we overtook a few cars along the way. We had a little bit of dust but actually we caught the cars in good places. It was a really fast stage. I was hoping for more corners and tricky bits so we could make up more time, but most of the day was flat-out at top speed. But I’m happy, today feels like redemption after the time we lost yesterday. Now we’re ready to go out and fight on Stage 5.”

Seth Quintero: “It was another amazing day for us. I really feel like we’ve been managing this race well; we’ve pushed when we needed to and turned it down when we needed to. The DKR GR Hilux is performing brilliantly, and the team is doing a great job too. So now we’re in the lead by over two minutes and it’s incredible. There’s one more big day ahead of us and I’m sure our competitors will throw everything they’ve got at us.”

Akira Miura: “It was a nice stage and I enjoyed it. The route and the conditions felt a lot like the Dakar. Just like yesterday we tried to push, but we were running in dust for long periods, so it was difficult to keep up a good pace. Tomorrow we should have a better starting position and that should help. The target is to get to the end of this tough rally.”

Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Stage 4 result*

Rallye du Maroc – Provisional standings after Stage 4*

*Correct at time of publication

After Thursday’s short opening super special stage, crews now faced two loops of demanding gravel stages in the north-east of the island. Although the rally is taking place four months later than usual, the conditions have so far remained dry, dusty and rocky as usual.

As the top three in the championship coming into the deciding round, GR YARIS Rally1 drivers Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg faced some of the toughest conditions running at the front of the road order, each one cleaning a line through the loose sandy gravel for everyone else behind to follow.

Solberg, with a 21-point gap to close to Evans, led the rally coming into the day but dropped to seventh after the morning’s first stage having sustained a loss of tyre pressure near the end. He fought back strongly, winning the morning’s final test to move back up to third place ahead of Pajari, who enjoyed a consistently strong morning. Sébastien Ogier also lost time with tyre damage in SS3 but ended the morning fifth, with Evans rounding out the top six.

Continuing to push in the afternoon, Solberg came close to another stage win on the second pass of the loop’s final test and finished the day in third overall, 12.3 seconds away from leader Thierry Neuville (Hyundai).

Ogier moved ahead of Pajari for fourth in the day’s final stage by 2.8s, while Evans ended the day just over a minute back from the lead in sixth and still leading the virtual championship standings.

Takamoto Katsuta is ninth overall having stopped to change a wheel and tyre in SS4 and conceded more time with further loss of tyre pressure later in the day.

Gus Greensmith leads Roope Korhonen in a GR Yaris Rally2 one-two in the WRC2 category, with Teemu Suninen slipping from first to seventh after he had to stop and change a tyre in the day’s final stage.

Quotes:
Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“This was a demanding day as expected, especially for our drivers who were running at the front of the road order and sweeping a line through the loose gravel. Compared to Elfyn and Sami in front of him, Oliver had more chance to attack from third on the road and he used that really well, keeping himself within striking distance of the two Hyundai drivers, Neuville and Fourmaux. That certainly keeps the championship fight interesting with two days to go, but I think that Elfyn and Sami also did what they could today and avoided any problems, so nobody’s chances are over and it will be exciting to follow again tomorrow.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“It’s been a tough day, like we anticipated in our position. We didn’t make a bad start this morning, and generally everything has felt quite OK in the car, but the stage times were just not where we would have wanted them to be, especially this afternoon. We at least managed to avoid trouble, which is important, and our position overall is not far off what we could have hoped for today. Tomorrow our road position will be much better, and although it might be tricky to try and close any gaps ahead, we just need to keep doing what we can and keep ourselves in a good position.”

Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“We didn’t have the best day today; we would have hoped to be higher than fourth tonight. Unfortunately it didn’t go my way this morning and most of our time loss came with this puncture. After that I was probably a bit too cautious, trying to avoid every stone and stay out of trouble, and so we weren’t especially fast. It wasn’t an ideal day but we will try to be better tomorrow, hope we can focus on enjoying the driving, and see what happens.”

Oliver Solberg (Driver car 99)
“It’s been a great day for us. I think we can be happy with the job we’ve done considering our road position. We were unfortunate to lose about six seconds with the puncture in the first stage this morning, but lucky on the other hand not to lose more time. I was a bit cautious on the second pass of that stage to avoid another issue, but on the other two stages we pushed quite hard and had a good feeling in the car. We will just continue with the same strategy tomorrow, trying to avoid trouble but also see if we can close the gaps in front with more equal road positions.”

Takamoto Katsuta (Driver car 18)
“It’s been a frustrating day for us. The conditions on the stages were pretty rough, and we were trying to get through without any problems. Unfortunately we had to stop and change a tyre in the third stage of the loop – it seems that we were not the only ones to have issues in that one. Going into the afternoon we were hoping to avoid any further issues, but still we lost some time with some punctures. Hopefully tomorrow we can have a cleaner day and find a good feeling.”

Sami Pajari (Driver car 5)
“It’s been a tricky day but I feel like we probably did all that we could. It’s difficult to judge our performance given the road positions, as we were quicker than Elfyn in all the stages but not as fast as Oliver. I was quite happy with the job that we did in the morning, and we were not too far away, but the afternoon seemed to be more difficult and unfortunately we just lost one position at the end. At least we have avoided any issues, so we are still in the fight and nothing is lost. Tomorrow our road position should be better and let’s see if our pace can also be stronger and we can keep up the fight.”

End of day two (Friday):
1 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) 1h25m04.9s
2 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +0.4s
3 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +12.3s
4 Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +37.4s
5 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +40.2s
6 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +1m08.9s
7 Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1) +1m21.1s
8 Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1) +3m26.5s
9 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +3m27.2s
10 Mārtiņš Sesks/Renārs Francis (Ford Puma Rally1) +3m39.9s
(Results as of 18:00 on Friday, for the latest results please visit www.wrc.com)

What's next?
Saturday’s route follows a similar format to Friday with two loops of stages run either side of service, although it is slightly longer at 123.66 competitive kilometres and includes a completely new test – Salorche – to round out each loop.

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TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC (TGR W2RC) overcame a demanding Stage 3 of the Rallye du Maroc to strengthen its chances in the fourth round of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

Harsh conditions and changing surfaces put the crews to the test on an incident-filled day in the Moroccan desert, which ended with two DKR GR Hilux pickups in the top five.

The 363 km timed section of Stage 3 took crews on a loop north-east towards Errachidia, initially on treacherous rocky tracks. The route then passed through sand dunes on the northern edge of the Sahara Desert during a fast final section on the return to Zagora.

Seth Quintero and navigator Andrew Short stayed on course to close the gap to the World Championship leaders. They lost three minutes very early on Stage 3 but responded well with consistent pace to regain ground. The #203 DKR GR Hilux took third place in the final kilometres and is now second overall, just 3 mins 20 secs behind the new leaders, Carlos Sainz and David Oliveras (Ford Racing)

After winning Stage 2, Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings faced the additional difficulty of being the first car on stage today. They ran in the podium positions early on but slipped back due to a combination of a puncture, a one-minute penalty and navigational challenges. Despite finishing the stage in 12th, the #202 DKR GR Hilux remains well placed in the overall standings in fifth, just over two minutes off the podium with two stages and 643 km of timed action remaining.

Akira Miura and Armand Monleón initially continued their strong form in Morocco and ran inside the top 10 for much of Stage 3. However, their good progress ended in the final 100 km when their #204 DKR GR Hilux stopped with a mechanical issue. They resumed after a long delay, and are now 44th overall.

Only two stages remain in this year’s Rallye du Maroc. Friday’s action features the longest timed stage of the event, at 384 km, which heads north-east of Zagora on a loop. The rally concludes on Saturday with a 259 km competitive section.

Quotes:

Henk Lategan: “It wasn’t a good day for us. We had to open the road, which is always tricky, especially today in the dunes. We were going well, and the times were looking good, until just after 100 km. Then it started to go wrong. It was tricky opening the dunes because there were no lines and it was very difficult to see the route. We made it safely through, but then we missed the road in one spot, then had a puncture, then got lost again. We lost a lot of time, and it wasn’t our cleanest day, but we’re still in it and we’ll push flat-out tomorrow.”

Seth Quintero: “It was a decent day for us, but it was very difficult. There were a lot of dangers that were not well marked. The team did an amazing job to get the car to the end without problems on a stage like this. It’s very impressive and shows the durability of the DKR GR Hilux. We managed as best we could and ended up third on stage and second overall. So, everything is still to play for, and the championship is looking better every day. I’ll keep working hard to keep this going.”

Akira Miura: “We had some bad luck today, unfortunately. We were pushing a bit more than yesterday and we were looking good, with some strong pace. But we suffered a technical problem with less than 100 km left in the stage, which was a pity. But we are still in the rally and we’ll keep pushing tomorrow.”

Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Stage 3 result*

Rallye du Maroc – Provisional standings after Stage 3*

*Correct at time of publication

Solberg is one of three GR YARIS Rally1 drivers competing to be crowned world champion for the first time this weekend, along with Elfyn Evans and Sami Pajari. Evans has a lead of 17 points over Pajari and 21 over Solberg.

Fresh from a victory in the last rally in Chile, Solberg also set the fastest time during the morning’s pre-event shakedown as teams and drivers made final checks and tweaks before the competitive action got underway.

In the afternoon’s 2.21-kilometre Ittiri Arena super special, Solberg led a 1-2-3-4 for TGR-WRT. He was quickest by 0.8 seconds over Sébastien Ogier, who set a new record as he started his 214th WRC event, surpassing the tally of his Team Principal, Jari-Matti Latvala.

Evans and Pajari raced side-by-side through the stage and were also among the frontrunners on the leaderboard in third and fourth, 1.1s and 1.5s from the lead respectively.

GR Yaris Rally2 driver Teemu Suninen claimed an early lead in the WRC2 category in 10th overall.

Quotes:
Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal)
“It’s exciting to be here in Sardinia, which hosts the final rally of the season for the first time and what I’m sure will be an epic battle between three of our crews; the first time that three are all fighting to become world champion for the first time in the deciding event. This is always a tough rally and it seems unlikely that anything will be settled before the end of the last stage on Sunday. The most important thing for all three contenders in this first stage was to get through it cleanly, but they all set good times as well, so we can see they are up for the fight before the real challenge begins tomorrow.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33)
“It’s good to get this final rally started. Everything’s feeling alright and this first stage went fine for us, but we know that the real challenge will start tomorrow morning. The later date for the rally this year hasn’t changed the demands of this rally: after a long and hot summer it’s still looking very dry and loose, so it could be tough tomorrow running first on the road. We’re not in a position to just cruise around, so the target like normal needs to be to drive well from the start, try to stay in touch and see how things play out.”

Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 1)
“It was a great way to start the weekend with this arena show stage and very nice to see so many fans there; we always feel the passion for motorsport when we’re on Italian soil. Tomorrow the real business will start, and it can be a tough weekend for the cars and the tyres. We’ll do our best to stay out of trouble, try to enjoy it and fight for a last win with this car. I’m proud to have been able to be competitive for so long, and hopefully we can achieve a strong result to match this record start.”

Oliver Solberg (Driver car 99)
“It’s always nice to start the rally with a stage win, but there’s a long and tough rally ahead. Even though it’s the last rally and we have a gap to close, it’s not as straightforward as just driving flat out. Sardinia is always challenging and the stages are surprisingly dry, so it won’t be easy. We’ve still got to get to the end without trouble to stay in the fight, so the plan is to have a clean weekend, try our very best and hopefully still be in with a chance on Sunday. If everything goes well and with maybe a bit of luck on my side, everything is possible.”

Takamoto Katsuta (Driver car 18)
“It’s nice to see so many fans already watching this first stage of the rally; it seems like a lot of people have arrived on the island to watch this last rally of the year! It’s always nice to be here and we’ll try to make a good rally. It seems like it’s going to be very challenging like always with the conditions. Everybody will want to attack and enjoy this last rally, but I think we need to be clever and find the right balance.”

Sami Pajari (Driver car 5)
“Stage one was quite an exciting first taste for this weekend, with lots of fans and a bit of sliding here and there, but from tomorrow onwards I think everyone can expect quite a wild ride. The championship is not fully in our hands and we will most likely need a bit of luck, but at the same time we have to go for it, because if we are slow, it won’t just come our way. The risk of an issue can be higher if you try to push, but hopefully we find a good pace from tomorrow morning and can put up a good challenge.”

End of day one (Thursday):
1 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) 2m01.4s
2 Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +0.8s
3 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +1.1s
4 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +1.5s
5 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +2.3s
6 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +2.7s
7 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +3.0s
8 Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1) +3.7s
9 Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1) +4.2s
10 Teemu Suninen/Janni Hussi (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +4.6s
(Results as of 17:00 on Thursday, for the latest results please visit www.wrc.com)

What's next?
The first full day of the rally consists of two loops of three stages using familiar roads in new configurations in the north-east of the island, separated by mid-day service in Alghero and totalling 119.66 competitive kilometres.

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