Toyota selects Solberg to score manufacturer points in WRC 2026 opener

New Toyota signing Oliver Solberg has been nominated to score manufacturer points at the opening round of the 2026 World Rally Championship season in Monte Carlo.

Event organisers have today released its 66-car entry list for the annual WRC curtain raiser (22-25 January), which will feature 11 Rally1 entries and 27 Rally2 crews, while 25 of those cars are registered to score WRC2 points.

Toyota will once again field five factory GR Yaris Rally1 cars at the opener but can only nominate three crews to score manufacturer points as per the sporting regulations.

With the event being part of reigning world champion and 10-time Monte Carlo winner Sebastien Ogier ’s partial campaign, the Frenchman has been nominated to score manufacturer points and will run with the #1 on his GR Yaris. Five-time WRC title runner-up Elfyn Evans has also been selected to score manufacturer points in Monte Carlo.

The third spot has however been handed to new recruit Solberg over his more experienced team-mates Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari. Following on from last year, Pajari will compete under the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 banner.

Monte Carlo will mark the start of Solberg’s maiden full season in the WRC’s topflight after joining Toyota in the off-season, effectively taking over the seat vacated by two-time world champion and now Super Formula driver Kalle Rovanpera.

Solberg will run the #99 which he carried to victory at Rally Estonia last year in what was then a one-off outing for Toyota last year.

Winners Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Hyundai will field three factory i20 N Rally1 cars to be piloted by full-time drivers 2024 champion Thierry Neuville, back running the #11, and Adrien Fourmaux, who is set for his second year at the team. New signing Hayden Paddon will kick off the season in the third car, making his first top-tier WRC outing since 2018.

M-Sport-Ford will be presented by three Ford Pumas with Josh McErlean and new signing Jon Armstrong registered to score manufacturer points. Gregoire Munster is set to pilot the third car in what is expected to be a one-off drive.

Monte Carlo will see Lancia make its return to the WRC with Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin set to debut the Italian brand’s all-new Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2 car. The pair are both registered to score WRC2 championship points.

They are likely to face strong opposition from the likes of Roberto Dapra (Skoda), Eric Camilli (Skoda), and Citroen runner Leo Rossel. Pablo Sarrazin and Eliott Delecour - sons of former WRC factory stars Stephane and Francois, respectively - also feature on the entry list, alongside Britain’s Chris Ingram.

Toyota WRC challenge programme driver Yuki Yamamoto will drive a Printsport-run Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, but won’t be eligible for WRC2 points along with M-Sport’s Romet Jurgenson.

This year’s Monte Carlo season opener will be contested over 339.15 competitive kilometres. The itinerary also includes a stage featuring the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit on Saturday night.