Reported
Toyota nears WRC manufacturers' title in Paraguay
Toyota is on the verge of securing its sixth consecutive World Rally Championship manufacturers' title at Rally del Paraguay, needing to outscore Hyundai by seven points to seal the championship early.
Toyota Gazoo Racing is poised to clinch its sixth consecutive World Rally Championship (WRC) manufacturers' title at this week's Rally del Paraguay, marking a significant milestone for the Japanese marque. The team, which has already claimed nine victories across the ten WRC rounds held in 2026, holds a commanding 174-point lead over nearest competitor Hyundai Motorsport. DirtFish reported that only 240 manufacturers' points remain available this season, and a gap of seven points or more over Hyundai in Paraguay would guarantee the championship for Toyota. Following this event, only 180 points will be up for grabs, solidifying Toyota’s strong position.
Dominant Performance by Toyota
Toyota's supremacy throughout the 2026 season has been evident, with Elfyn Evans, reigning champion Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta, and recent winner Sami Pajari each securing two victories. Oliver Solberg added another win to the team's tally, showcasing the GR Yaris Rally1's consistent performance. The only event not won by Toyota was Rally de Portugal, where Thierry Neuville secured a victory for Hyundai, the sole success for the Korean manufacturer this year. The consistent top-tier performances from the Toyota drivers have positioned the team for an early championship celebration.
Path to the Title
Toyota has only failed to outscore Hyundai by seven points or more on two occasions this season. The first instance occurred at Safari Rally Kenya, where Takamoto Katsuta secured a win but was not nominated to score manufacturers' points, and Sami Pajari, competing for Toyota's second team, finished third. Adrien Fourmaux, driving for M-Sport, took top manufacturer points for Hyundai, allowing them to outscore Toyota by eight points in Kenya. The second occasion was Rally de Portugal; there, Neuville benefited from a late puncture suffered by Ogier to claim the win. Hyundai collected 51 points in Matosinhos, while Toyota accrued 46 points during the event. DirtFish also noted that in every other rally, Toyota has outscored Hyundai by more than seven points, with their narrowest margin being ten points at Rally Estonia.
Manufacturer Standings Overview
With four rounds remaining in the 2026 WRC season after Rally del Paraguay, Toyota's substantial lead places them firmly in contention for their tenth overall manufacturers' championship. Elfyn Evans leads the drivers' standings with 201 points, followed by Sami Pajari with 171 points, and Takamoto Katsuta with 160 points, illustrating the strong representation of Toyota drivers at the top. This consistent performance across the board highlights the team's engineering prowess and strategic excellence. The Finnish presence in the WRC, notably with Sami Pajari's strong performance, underscores Finland's ongoing influence in top-tier rallying.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Reported, which means a newsroom we cite carries this but the people involved have not confirmed it. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Sanni Koskela.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- DirtFishdirtfish.com
