Solberg Relieved as Winless Streak Ends, Ogier Equals Loeb's Podium Record

Oliver Solberg returned to winning ways at the Rally Chile, more than eight months after his triumph in Monte Carlo. The Swedish Toyota driver outpaced his teammate Sébastien Ogier and Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai), who completed the podium. A puncture cost championship leader Elfyn Evans valuable points on a weekend where Toyota secured their sixth consecutive constructors' title.

The son of 2003 World Champion Petter Solberg capitalized on a favorable road position on Friday's damp stages to seize an early lead, only briefly being overtaken by Elfyn Evans in the second special stage.

Despite the constant threat from the Welsh driver, Solberg maintained a consistent and methodical pace, setting competitive times, especially on Saturday's dry sections. He managed the race without ever truly being under pressure. This victory marks the end of a challenging period for the Swede, who had already regained some confidence with second-place finishes in Finland and Estonia.

"It was an incredible weekend," Solberg stated. "This season has been full of ups and downs, but the team has always supported me. Luck finally turned my way, and everything was absolutely perfect this weekend."

The rally's biggest casualty was Elfyn Evans. The championship leader appeared set for a solid second place, which would have strengthened his title bid, but a puncture on the penultimate special stage forced him to stop and change a tire. The incident dropped him to fifth place, behind his main rival, Sami Pajari. Instead of extending his lead, Evans lost three points to Pajari, who is now 17 points adrift.

With this result, the title fight intensifies. Solberg, now 21 points behind the leader, can also dream of a comeback in the remaining events, starting with Sardinia in early October. The final event of the calendar, initially planned for Saudi Arabia, may need to be changed due to the conflict in the Middle East, with both Toyota and Hyundai expressing reluctance to travel to the region.

The podium was rounded out by two French drivers. Sébastien Ogier secured second place, while Adrien Fourmaux benefited from Evans' misfortune to climb to third, achieving his fourth podium of the year and 13th of his career. Ogier, for his part, reached a historic milestone: he equaled Sébastien Loeb's record of 120 WRC podiums, boasting an impressive 56% podium rate across 213 participations.

A Solberg-Ogier one-two finish sealed Toyota's sixth consecutive World Constructors' Championship. The Japanese manufacturer has utterly dominated the season, securing eleven victories in twelve rallies, three quadruple finishes, two triple finishes, and seeing all five of its drivers win at least one event. In stark contrast, Hyundai faces an uncertain period, lacking a clear strategy, with their official WRC future for next year still undecided.