Silly Season 2026

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Originally Posted by bandit12

Next season will be an internal battle at Toyota. M-Sport will probably direct its resources towards the 2027 car, leaving their drivers without updates or testing.
Hyundai is rolling through its last year, already becoming ridiculous. Minimal factory support, zero motivation from staff and drivers.
Sad.

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Hyundai seem very keen to become the next Citroën and even they in their final year wracked up 3 wins with that C3….if Hyundai do retire at the end of ‘26 (which lets face it seems more and more likely) I do hope Lancia (& perhaps Dacia?) step up and we’ll get a Toyota vs Lancia Round 2 for those of us who weren’t around in the 80’s ;)

Why should Ogier try to win a 10th next year? His ego is big, but not that big.
Ogier- so Ogier leaving, with possible one or two guest appearances
Evans? - what is his insurance being at Toyota next year? He could have good options at MSport.
Katsuta - secures 2026, is my guess. Or swapped to WRC2 is season starts bad.
Kalle? - It´s only himself to decide or motivate what will happen.
Pajari - Forsure one more season secured.

To sum up:
Yes, Oliver has a place at Toyota Rally1 next year. The replacement can be in many ways.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Why should Ogier try to win a 10th next year? His ego is big, but not that big.
Ogier- so Ogier leaving, with possible one or two guest appearances

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I really don't know anyone who has bigger EGO in current WRC line up than him. And I bet if he gets 9, he needs just 1 more to be better than Loeb. And this has to motivate him because being better in total tiles than Loeb is something he surely wants. So I bet he will drive and will start again with half campaign and if he has a chance, he will do it.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Evans? - what is his insurance being at Toyota next year? He could have good options at MSport.

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What? Guy has been leading the WRC the whole year. How is that not an insurance?

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Katsuta - secures 2026, is my guess. Or swapped to WRC2 is season starts bad.

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A better season than last year for sure but nothing special compared to 2022 for example. He had 80 points last year (and he didn't drive in Chilie). This year he has 94.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Kalle? - It´s only himself to decide or motivate what will happen.

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Agree.

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Pajari - Forsure one more season secured.

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Let's hope so. Hasn't really done anything do be dropped but in my opinion he hasn't shown anything special also. With the car as good as Toyota, you'd expect better results and stage times. But he only got his 5th stage and 4th this year. 3 of them were from 2025 rally Finland and now in Chile

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

To sum up:
Yes, Oliver has a place at Toyota Rally1 next year. The replacement can be in many ways.

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Difficult decision. Definitely should drive in Rally1.

Ogier has BIG ego, but he must one more year sacrifice all those private thing a man gets avare of, when groving up; family, business, old parents etz. (eg. passing his 40´s)