TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Dominates with 1-2-3-4 Finish at Rally Islas Canarias

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team secured a 1-2-3-4 finish at Rally Islas Canarias, with Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais seizing victory in the No. 1 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 following a closely contested intra-team battle. They led teammates Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin (No. 33) in second, Sami Pajari with Marko Salminen (No. 5) in third, and Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston (No. 18) in fourth to complete the team’s landslide victory.

The Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 delivered a dominant performance over the asphalt roads of Gran Canaria for the second year running, winning all 17 stages of the rally.  The result marks the team’s third full podium lockout in five rounds so far and takes Toyota past the 300-podium mark across its WRC participation, with 302 podium finishes now to its name.

Akio Toyoda, GR-WRT Chairman, commented: “Seb, Vincent - congratulations on your first victory of the 2026 season. I would also like to thank everyone on the team for delivering a 1-2-3-4 finish. Oliver, too, kept Seb under pressure until the final day, chasing him with only a few seconds between them. This rally was made possible by the “overall strength of the entire team,” something that cannot be achieved by the car alone or the drivers alone. Again, thank you to everyone on the team. The close battle for victory between the very experienced Seb and the young Oliver was truly exciting.”

Toyoda continued: “I heard that even while Oliver was closing in within just a few seconds, Seb continued, as he always does, to offer advice to Oliver. I believe that this kind of warm knowledge sharing from Seb truly strengthens the team. It also contributes to enhancing the greatness of the sport. Thank you, Seb. I also hope that Oliver’s fight for the lead with Seb, and his retirement this time, will lead to further growth for him.  So far this year, Oliver has won, Elfyn has won, Takamoto has achieved back to back victories, and this time, Seb has won. Sami - keep pushing hard toward your first WRC victory!”

Held on the mountainous roads of Gran Canaria, the rally featured fast and technical stages with changing grip levels influenced by coastal weather conditions. There was, however, little to separate the GR-WRT crews, with the Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 maintaining a massive advantage and the fight for victory and podium positions remaining tight.

Ogier and Landais led from the early stages and held their position throughout, although the margin at the front remained narrow, with the lead staying within single digits. They went on to claim their first victory of the season by 19.9 seconds.

Evans and Martin were also part of a closely fought battle at the front for much of the rally, remaining close to the leading pace and finishing second overall. They added further points with a strong showing in the rally-ending stages, claiming both the Power Stage and the Super Sunday classification to move into the lead of the drivers’ championship.

Pajari and Salminen continued their consistent run of form to secure a fourth consecutive podium finish in third place overall. Katsuta and Johnston, who entered the rally leading the drivers’ standings, built their pace across the event to finish just 10.4 seconds behind Pajari in fourth position.

Toyota scored 59 of the available 60 manufacturers’ points following Rally Islas Canarias to increase its championship lead to 98. Evans has moved to the top of the drivers’ standings, with Katsuta and Pajari also maintaining strong positions in the title fight.

Toyota’s motorsports history dates back over 60 years. Reflecting the concept that “the roads build the people, and the people build the cars,” Toyota has competed in a wide range of motorsport disciplines worldwide. Its major successes, achieved under the most extreme conditions, together with the hard-won knowledge and technical insights they have yielded, continue to serve as the foundation for building “ever-better” cars.

From 2026, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has reverted to the name GAZOO Racing. The team competes in top-level motorsport categories such as the FIA World Rally Championship, as well as in customer motorsport activities using production vehicles.

Round six of the 2026 FIA WRC is Rally de Portugal (May 7-10), held on gravel stages based in Matosinhos near Porto in northern Portugal. The rally features classic sandy and rocky roads that place a premium on car durability, tyre management, and consistent performance across demanding terrain.

Race Notes:

•    No. 1 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais)
o    Position: 1st
o    Time: 2 hours, 43 minutes, and 18.9 seconds

•    No. 33 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin)
o    Position: 2nd
o    Time: 2 hours, 43 minutes, and 38.8 seconds (+19.9s)

•    No. 5 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen)
o    Position: 3rd
o    Time: 2 hours, 44 minutes, and 59.7 seconds (+1m40.8s)

•    No. 18 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston)
o    Position: 4th
o    Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes, and 10.1 seconds (+1m51.2s)