Elfyn Evans Secures Second WRC Victory of 2026 with Win in Rally Japan]
Elfyn Evans navigated Rally Japan’s demanding asphalt stages with precision to claim his second World Rally Championship victory of 2026, finishing 12.8 seconds ahead of reigning champion Sebastien Ogier.
Partnered with co-driver Scott Martin, Evans delivered a flawless performance across the 20-stage event, becoming the most successful driver in Rally Japan history with his third victory at the event. Toyota completed a dominant 1-4 sweep, with Sami Pajari claiming third place (+51.4 seconds) and home hero Takamoto Katsuta fourth (+1m03.5s).
“What a great weekend. Huge thanks to the team. Amazing car again on tarmac. Long way to go and too early to talk about that [championship]. We have to just enjoy this one,” said Evans, who now leads the championship by 20 points from Katsuta.
The rally, moved from autumn to spring, surprised crews with damp conditions following Thursday night’s rain. Despite these challenges, Evans took commanding control with a standout time on the Isegami Tunnel stage, extending his lead to 15.7 seconds by the end of Friday.
Rising temperatures and tire wear concerns failed to derail Evans’ dominance, though Oliver Solberg pressured him early on Saturday. Solberg’s comeback attempt ended dramatically when he lost control on stage 10, damaging his Toyota GR Yaris’ rear suspension—a crash that marked his third asphalt incident of the season.
Solberg’s retirement promoted Ogier to second place, but the nine-time world champion couldn’t overcome his poor road position or optimize the hard Hankook tires. Despite closing to within 10.6 seconds of Evans during Saturday morning’s stages, Ogier never mounted serious late-challenge.
Sebastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
Pajari capitalized on improved rear grip to secure his fifth podium finish of the season. Katsuta’s victory hopes crumbled early after a puncture on stage one—caused by running wide on a damp patch—followed by an additional off in stage three that left him seventh before he recovered to fourth.
Solberg earned maximum points by winning Super Sunday and the Power Stage upon his return. Adrien Fourmaux adapted well to changing conditions, finishing fifth as the only non-Toyota in the top four positions.
Thierry Neuville initially challenged in damp conditions but faded to sixth as roads dried and tire issues mounted. A handbrake failure further hampered his performance.
Hayden Paddon, making his first Rally Japan appearance on asphalt, finished seventh in his three scheduled WRC appearances this year. Jon Armstrong led M-Sport Ford in eighth, while Josh McErlean completed the top 10 despite losing over two minutes during a wheel change.
In WRC2, Lancia’s Nikolay Gryazin claimed victory after Alejandro Cachon spun while attempting to close a 2.8-second deficit.
