Rally Sweden delivered another breathtaking winter spectacle as the WRC’s only full‑snow event took place from 12–15 February in brutally cold -30°C conditions.
Thursday
Toyota takes podium for the second time in a row at Rally SwedenThe action began early on Thursday with shakedown, where Hyundai dominated the timesheets after five runs through the warm-up stage. Neuville set the benchmark at 1:51.8, Fourmaux followed with 1:52.1 and Lappi completed the top three on 1:52.7.
As night fell, thousands packed into the Umeå Red Barn Arena for the opening super special. Local favorite Oliver Solberg delivered the perfect start, thrilling Swedish fans by ending Day 1 in the lead with 5:53.1, Evans trailed by +3.8 and Katsuta sat +4.4 behind.
Friday
Friday’s route featured seven stages, including Bygdsiljum, Andervattnet, Bäck (each ran twice) and the Umeå Sprint.
The day quickly turned turbulent for Solberg. A half-spin and stall in SS2 dropped him from the lead, but worse was to come. In SS3 he went off twice, at the 16 km and 17 km, and hit a rock in a ditch, causing a puncture. By midday, the overnight leader had slipped to sixth overall.
It was also a bruising day for M-Sport, with Armstrong, Sesks, and McErlean all suffering punctures. Sesks ran out of spares and was forced to retire for the day after SS5.
At the front, the battle between Evans and Katsuta became the story of the rally. Evans held the advantage until SS7, where Katsuta edged ahead by a razor‑thin 0.1 seconds.
Friday standings:
- 1. Katsuta – 1:01:33.7
- 2. Evans +2.8
- 3. Pajari +22.2
Sarturday
Saturday brought another seven stages: Vännäs, Sarsjöliden, Kolksele (each ran twice) and a second run of Umeå Sprint. For the first time all weekend, the teams enjoyed a puncture-free day.
Katsuta’s lead evaporated immediately. A slower run on the opening stage saw him lose 7.2 seconds to Evans, dropping him back to second.There was frustration for Neuville, who won SS15 but was handed a 1‑minute penalty and a 1,500€ fine for failing to fasten his helmet correctly during the stage.
By the end of the day, Evans had rebuilt a comfortable margin.
Saturday standings:
- 1. Evans – 2:05:14.6
- 2. Katsuta +13.3
- 3. Pajari +25.4
Sunday
The final day featured two consecutive passes through Västervik before the Umeå Power Stage. With no major surprises, Evans managed his lead expertly while Katsuta pushed hard but couldn’t close the gap. Evans crossed the finish line to claim Rally Sweden 2026, adding another snow‑covered trophy to his 2020 and 2025 wins. Toyota Gazoo Racing celebrated the second consecutive full podium of the season.
Notably, all Rally1 crews reached the finish, a rare feat in such extreme winter conditions.
Fiinal results
- 🥇Evans – 2:35:53.1
- 🥈Katsuta +14.3🥉
- 🥉Pajari +46.0
Power Stage results
- 1. Neuville
- 2. Evans
- 3. Katsuta
- 4. Solberg
- 5. Lappi
Super Sunday Results
- 1. Evans
- 2. Katsuta
- 3. Solberg
- 4. Pajari
- 5. Fourmaux