TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team heads to Rally Chile with a chance to settle the manufacturers’ championship and another close fight among its own drivers.

The team needs at least seven points on 10 to 13 September to secure the title with two rounds left in the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship. Toyota leads by 173 points, with only 180 still available over the final three rallies.

Its five GR Yaris Rally1 cars crossed the Andes after a difficult Rally del Paraguay. The crews had little time to relax after the team rebuilt the cars for the 12th round of the season.

Sami Pajari arrives as the driver in strongest form after three straight victories in Estonia, Finland and Paraguay. His latest win moved him to second in the standings, 20 points behind Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans.

Oliver Solberg holds third place, 41 points off the lead. Takamoto Katsuta is another 15 points behind in fourth, while nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier trails Evans by 68. 

Ogier won in Chile last year and will seek another victory as the title race enters its final stretch.

Toyota deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen said the drivers will continue to receive equal opportunities to compete for wins. 

That approach could make Chile more than a routine title-clinching exercise, since several Toyota crews still have a mathematical chance in the drivers’ contest.

Chile presents a different test from the rutted gravel and puncture trouble that shaped much of the action in Paraguay. 

The forest stages of the Biobío region feature fast sections and narrower technical roads on smooth or abrasive surfaces. Rain and fog can quickly alter grip and visibility.

Evans expects road position and tire wear to become important if conditions are dry. Early starters may sweep loose gravel from the road, while later runs can expose a rougher surface that works the tires harder. Wet weather can turn the stages muddy and bring low cloud across the route.

About 40 percent of this year’s 311.18 competitive kilometers will be new to the WRC. The event opens with shakedown and a ceremonial start in Concepción on Thursday. Friday has three heavily revised stages southeast of the city, with each one run twice.

Saturday is the rally’s longest day at 139.2 kilometers. Crews will tackle two loops of three familiar stages south of Concepción and across the Biobío River. Sunday pairs the new Carampangue test with the returning Biobío Power Stage.

Katsuta will have James Fulton beside him in Chile. Fulton replaces Aaron Johnston, who suffered a fractured collarbone in a high-speed crash on the final day in Paraguay. Johnston will sit out the event to recover.

The change also affects Toyota’s WRC2 crew. Topi Luhtinen will join Yuki Yamamoto after Fulton was moved to Katsuta’s car. Yamamoto is one of eight drivers entered in a GR Yaris Rally2, a group that includes Paraguay class winner Diego Domínguez and runner-up Gus Greensmith.

Toyota now has two championships in view. The manufacturers’ crown may require only a small score, but the fight between its drivers gives the Chile round much higher stakes.