Solberg's second win of 2026
Oliver Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson won Rally Chile Bío Bío, finishing 16.6 seconds ahead of nine-time champion Sébastien Ogier in second. It's Solberg's third career WRC victory and his second of the season, following his win at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally — a result that puts him firmly back in title contention after a quieter run of results in between.
Evans' puncture — and what it cost him
Championship leader Elfyn Evans had been running second, on course for a solid points haul, when a puncture on the penultimate stage wrecked his run to the finish. He dropped to fifth by the time he crossed the line, behind Adrien Fourmaux in third and his own Toyota teammate Sami Pajari in fourth — a result that cost him significantly more points than a clean run would have delivered, right in the middle of a tightening title fight.
The title fight is now three-way
Evans still leads the championship on 230 points, but Pajari's fourth-place finish against Evans' fifth cut the gap between them from 20 points to 17 with two rounds remaining. Solberg's win moves him to within 21 points of Evans as well, turning what had been a two-way Evans-Pajari fight into a genuine three-driver battle. With a maximum of 35 points available at each of the two remaining rounds, none of the three can afford another bad day. See our breakdown of the Evans-Pajari title fight for how the numbers looked heading into Chile.
What's next
The WRC moves to Rally Sardegna next, then closes the season in Saudi Arabia — two rounds that will now decide a genuine three-way championship fight rather than the two-way Toyota-teammate battle it looked like heading into Chile. See our Rally Sardegna preview for what's at stake.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Rally Chile 2026?
Oliver Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson, 16.6 seconds ahead of Sébastien Ogier. It was Solberg's second win of the season after Monte Carlo, and his third career WRC victory.
What happened to Elfyn Evans at Rally Chile?
A puncture on the penultimate stage dropped him from second to fifth, costing him significant points in the middle of a tight championship fight.
Is the 2026 WRC title fight still just between Evans and Pajari?
No — Oliver Solberg's win at Chile brought him to within 21 points of leader Elfyn Evans, turning it into a genuine three-way fight alongside Sami Pajari, who trails by 17 points.
How many WRC rounds are left in the 2026 season?
Two — Rally Sardegna and the Saudi Arabia finale — with a maximum of 35 points available at each, enough to still swing the title.
Sources
Pippa has followed open-wheel racing for 12 years, from Formula 1's turbo-hybrid era to IndyCar's short ovals, and has watched competitive sim racing grow from a niche hobby into a genuine motorsport discipline in its own right. She covers circuit and open-wheel racing, touring cars and esports for CNMOTOS.
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