Silly Season 2026

[flat_right]

Has to be Toyota then. Don't understand the waiting from Ott's side if he wants to drive. And as Toyota is waiting for it's announcement and Cyril is urging to Tänak to sign or pick up his option then yeah... would put some of my money on Tänak driving for Toyota.

[deephouse]

What oother options do Hyundai have, if Tanak will really leave for Toyota? Will they hire again Mikkelsen, Lappi, Sordo? Or reach out for WRC2 field? Or even stay only with two cars?

[Sulland]

I can't confirm or deny that Solberg will be in a TGR WRC seat next year

Maybe Solberg as a development driver for 2027, and some rally 1 outings is an options.

[EstWRC]

Has to be Toyota then. Don't understand the waiting from Ott's side if he wants to drive. And as Toyota is waiting for it's announcement and Cyril is urging to Tänak to sign or pick up his option then yeah... would put some of my money on Tänak driving for Toyota.

The waiting can be also to pressure Hyundai with the new contract.

But then again, I would think that would have been solved by now already and this article yesterday from dirtfish got my hopes even more up with the Toyota return.

I mean, these rumors of him rejoining Toyota are the strongest they have ever been since he left them but at the same time there hasn’t been like a very good trustworthy source for it.

That Italian journalist has now deleted his post about Tänak and Latvala having a talk.

But at the same time it’s the same with Solberg, who I am 100% sure will definitely join the main team but there hasn’t been also like very good or trustworthy source to confirm it.

Anyway, we will be all smarter next Monday with the official announcement

[meh]

Yes, Evans leads by points, but Evans is quite far behind when we watch fighting speed and stage wins.

This year top:
* Rovanperä 50
* Tänak 49
* Ogier 48
* Fourmaux 19
* Evans 18
* Neuville 17

So there is a clear top 3: one (Rovanperä) is leaving, one (Ogier) will be part-time (but we have heard this "part-time" story for 2 years now), and one (Tänak) stays (at least I have not heard any other direction).

Based on this year's result, Tänak's team choice is really important for manus title.

I assume here that in case (and most likely it is the case), Solberg ends up in Toyota, he will not dominate everything as he did in Rally Estonia this year.

So if Toyota has Evans, Pajari, Katsuta, Solberg, and part-time Ogier, they indeed may struggle against the Hyundai Tänak, Neuville, and Fourmaux combination. If Hyundais will just not fall apart, of course.

But if Tänak moves to Toyota and everyone listed stays in Toyota one way or another, I don't know who is going to be in Hyundai.

The tone in Cyril's interview can be just a show or intentional misleading, but if it is not the case, most likely they have not convinced Tänak to stay, and the only reason for that can be Toyota.

In case Tänak is not planning to retire next year, he must move away from Hyundai anyway.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

I know Tanak fans are desperate for him to join Toyota, but I really hope not as this will mean even further WRC domination by that team.

Hyundai needs to keep him at all costs and the WRC needs this for a competitive final season of Rally1.

I really dont see Toyota dropping anyone ie. Evans, as they're super-loyal to people who have served them well. And would anyone really want to move to Hyundai at this stage with them likely to leave the Championship after 2026 ?

[EstWRC]

Yes, Evans leads by points, but Evans is quite far behind when we watch fighting speed and stage wins.

This year top:
* Rovanperä 50
* Tänak 49
* Ogier 48
* Fourmaux 19
* Evans 18
* Neuville 17

So there is a clear top 3: one (Rovanperä) is leaving, one (Ogier) will be part-time (but we have heard this "part-time" story for 2 years now), and one (Tänak) stays (at least I have not heard any other direction).

Based on this year's result, Tänak's team choice is really important for manus title.

I assume here that in case (and most likely it is the case), Solberg ends up in Toyota, he will not dominate everything as he did in Rally Estonia this year.

So if Toyota has Evans, Pajari, Katsuta, Solberg, and part-time Ogier, they indeed may struggle against the Hyundai Tänak, Neuville, and Fourmaux combination. If Hyundais will just not fall apart, of course.

But if Tänak moves to Toyota and everyone listed stays in Toyota one way or another, I don't know who is going to be in Hyundai.

The tone in Cyril's interview can be just a show or intentional misleading, but if it is not the case, most likely they have not convinced Tänak to stay, and the only reason for that can be Toyota.

In case Tänak is not planning to retire next year, he must move away from Hyundai anyway.

I agree with your logic here.

We saw very well last year how Toyota did with just Evans and Katsuta being full time drivers. They lost the drivers title and only won the manufacturer title because of Tänaks crash at last rally on last day.

So yeah, they are pretty vulnerable when Kalle and Ogier aren’t driving.

[trykmann]

With Tänak's possible departure the situation in Hyundai would be a disaster. I currently don't see any other driver available, who could be fast enough to compete with Toyotas.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

This is the worst yet... based on his comment on liking Rally Japan in Autumn !

“We’re lucky to be able to go there at a time of year when the nature is so colourful, the atmosphere is always very warm and kind, so I love going there,” Tänak tells.

https://rallyjournal.com/ott-tanak-r...as-home-rally/

[denkimi]

With Tänak's possible departure the situation in Hyundai would be a disaster. I currently don't see any other driver available, who could be fast enough to compete with Toyotas.

Neuville, if he can get the car working.