Twelve months ago, the high-speed gravel roads around Tartu delivered one of the stories of the year. Back in a top-class car and making his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 debut, Solberg produced a stunning drive to claim his maiden WRC victory.
It was the kind of performance that changed expectations almost overnight.
Now, those expectations are part of the challenge.
Sébastien Ogier claimed a dramatic EKO Acropolis Rally Greece victory after a gripping battle with Thierry Neuville swung decisively in the Toyota driver’s favour on Sunday.
Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais sealed victory by 58.3sec in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, completing a perfect Sunday with the rally win, Super Sunday honours and the Wolf Power Stage victory. It was Ogier’s 69th WRC victory and his second Acropolis triumph, 15 years after his first win on the Greek gravel classic.
Thierry Neuville led EKO Acropolis Rally Greece after a punishing Friday that immediately underlined the rally’s fearsome reputation.
The Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team driver completed the opening full day 9.7sec clear of Sébastien Ogier, with team-mate Adrien Fourmaux third after an eventful leg in which he both led the rally and lost time to a puncture.
The longest day of the rally, totalling 129.22km, brought heavy road cleaning, sharp rocks and constant risk across six gravel stages north of Loutraki. Few crews escaped the day without drama, but Neuville’s measured approach proved enough to keep him in front overnight.
WRC begins a run of seven consecutive gravel rallies to the finish – starting with one of the toughest of them all.
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team heads to EKO Acropolis Rally Greece this week aiming to turn the FIA World Rally Championship’s gravel-heavy second half into a title fightback.
Round eight of the season marks a significant shift in the 2026 campaign. After a first half split across snow, asphalt, rough gravel and mixed conditions, the championship now begins a run of seven consecutive gravel rallies to the finish – starting with one of the toughest of them all.
Greece has been kind to Hyundai in recent years. The Korean manufacturer has won three of the last four Acropolis editions, with Thierry Neuville triumphing in 2022 and 2024 and Ott Tänak adding victory last season. Hyundai also swept the podium in both 2022 and 2024, making the rough Greek gravel roads one of the team’s strongest modern hunting grounds.
RENO, Nev., April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Rebelle Rally announces Stryten Energy as a Gold Partner for the 2026 competition, building on a relationship shaped over several years in the field.
While new as an official partner, Stryten Energy has been involved in the Rebelle Rally with team entries for the past several years and stage sponsorship. Their presence has been felt throughout the competition, while they engage directly with the kind of terrain and conditions their battery technology is built to withstand.
RANDLEMAN, N.C. (Feb. 27, 2026) – Twenty-two NASCAR drivers have joined together in a unified video encouraging fans and families across the racing community to apply for camp, volunteer, join the seasonal staff, or make a donation to the Victory Junction year-round camp serving children with complex medical and physical needs.
RENO, Nev., Feb. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge to the cliffs of the Pacific, the shores of the Russian River, and the famed Sonoma Raceway, the inaugural Trinitē Road Rally will take place May 4–7, 2026, in California. Created by the team behind the world-class Rebelle Rally, the longest competitive off-road rally in the U.S., Trinitē Road Rally is a four-day event that includes three days of driving. Covering approximately 500 miles as it winds across some of the most stunning roads in America, Trinitē finishes with Track Day Presented by Pennzoil and awards at the famed Sonoma Raceway.
The eagerly anticipated 2026 FIA European Rally Championship will begin with the 43rd Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena – Córdoba World Heritage Site from 17 – 19 April.
Using all-asphalt stages, the spectacular event in southern Spain, an ERC newcomer in 2025, replaces Rally Hungary as the first of what will now be a seven-round calendar.
VALCOURT, QC, Jan. 21, 2026 /CNW/ – Can-Am, an iconic brand of BRP Inc. (TSX: DOO) (NASDAQ: DOO), has completed the 2026 Dakar Rally with another standout performance, as factory racer Kyle Chaney and his co-driver Jacob Argubright finished second overall in Chaney’s Dakar Rally debut. In addition, Can-Am’s factory-supported drivers secured six of the top ten overall positions and five stage victories. These results reinforce the Can-Am Maverick R as one of the highest performing and most durable racing side-by-side vehicles (SSVs) in the world.
The Dacia Sandriders has won the 48th Dakar Rally, the toughest test of car and crew in international motorsport, with Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin claiming a memorable and highly impressive victory by almost 10 minutes.
An outstanding achievement in only its second participation on the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship event, The Dacia Sandriders had further reason to celebrate when its other three crews all reached the finish this afternoon (Saturday January 17).
