2026 WRC News & Rumours

[deephouse]

If we compare all finish talents which come into WRC in recent years. They didn't buy out the seat but deserve it purely. Everyone of them did show some progress, won titles and drove great, so at the end it was worth it. Kalle, Lappi, Suninen, Pajari... While all recent M-Sport drivers did buy out the seat, and didn't show anything before and probably will not in the future. Practicaly the underdog of them is Sesks, which does have flashes of great speed and obviously is the only one capable of bringing some good results.

What I'm trying to say is I don't understand why would anyone fund so much for a unproven ''talent'' for a season in top class of WRC, if they could simply fund them the 2/3 seasons in lower classes for the same amount of money or even less and would get away with better results, experience and proper development of driver.

That's why I compare them to finish.. They did deserve those seats while those seating at M-Sport just isn't ready yet. Sorry, but it's true, no matter how much money did they have.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The guy funding the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, John Coyne, is helping the best of the current drivers from (the island) of Ireland. Maybe only William Creighton could've been too. But they're his choice and it's his money. He's not doing it expecting a return on investment.

Maybe the previous crop - Devine, Cronin, Moffett etc - were much stronger, but the funding wasnt around for them. Luckily Meeke and Breen made it with their own family money and connections.

[WRCStan]

Do you even follow WRC at all? Have you forgotten that Sami Pajari drove for them in 2024 and won a WRC2 title. And in 2025 Oliver Solberg drove for them and won a title. And guess what. They are some kind of a Toyota unofficial team

Ah OK, so the driver's championship is Printsport's own target and crew recruitment is of their volition - thank you for teaching me something, I'm always learning. I asked because you could have meant the WRC2 Team's championship, with Printsport being a team. You won't need me to tell you the standings for either year, and who was or wasn't an official Toyota team.

[deephouse]

I would understand if those boys would be in some random team and finished out of the best ten, but they both clinch WRC2 title and both were promoted in Toyota. That's why I was so suprised that people here exist that don't know who they are, or at least pretend it they don't know out of their frustrations of not being some kind of a fan, I guess.

The best position in WRC2 you can be in 2026 - PH Sport (Lancia), Toksport (Skoda), Printsport (Toyota).

Maybe Sesks could fit in any of those and drive way more for way less (and at least with future, rather than showing and never promoting at M-Sport)

[WRCStan]

We differ in opinions deephouse. Yes, I've heard of Printsport, I researched and drafted an article on them. My view is that they're means to an end for their customers, whoever they may be, and driver's titles are bestowed upon drivers not teams. Therefore in my head, Printsport have no titles to defend and aren't trying to sign the best driver for their campaign. Sesks chooses Printsport, not the other way round like you said.

My take might be wrong but from here I think I asked you a fair question to help me understand your take which sounded odd to me. You could be kind and explain your take and why I'm wrong without being a cocksure "this is the only truth" jerk, but hey you do you, and which is why if you're sarcastic or belittling I'll just give some back.

[deephouse]

Frustration can be painful if you can't manage it. You say that driver title is only drivers, but the team doesn't even matter at all? Complete and total non-sense. It's always team's work, and this days it's pretty rare that someone would enter all by himself and won (also prepraing and fixing the car all by himself). On a world scale, doesn't exist. The team preparing and providing support always is pleased when the driver in their team does achieve and won events, title, stages. It does prove they do work well all together. If they enter with more cars and are scoring also for teams, even better. But calling Printsport nothing but just a team and having two drivers won drivers title in their cars is stupid. Drivers almost always thank the team in interviews, if that wouldn't matter they would never do it. Also if they would be some sort of renting company, Pajari and Solberg would enter the cahhmpionship with their own team or just names, but was always Printsport. Very hard to understand.

[trykmann]

From a marketing perspective Toyota as a manufacturer would obviously want to see their car winning again the WRC2 championship, therefore Printsport as a semi-official Toyota Rally2 team probably would like to have a fast driver driving their car. We don't know how the deals are made and how much a driver has to pay to drive their car, but the cost may vary depending on the driver and his winning potential.

[AndersX]

This interview with Millener makes little sense. He could be a good politician. Especially I like him pointing that Sesks was on bad form last year, therefore his case is not that straight forward and so on.... Read - we expected him to be Top5, with underdeveloped car, with no or little testing on events he has never driven before, while it is ok, that regular drivers, with much longer seat time are ok to finish behind him.

I really hope Sesks team is looking beyond 2026 and will make strategically right decision. I do not think Sesks sponsors need to spend another 500K or more to prove they are fast. Tarmac they would learn step by step, if they would have all season in the seat.

I think Printsport will go with Korhonen.

But it is interesting who will be testing Toyotas 2027 car and develop it. As well as who will work with the new Prospeed project. Solberg also is working on smth.

Question is what Skoda and TokSport will do.

[Negaiss]

Starting to like WRC27 concept more and more. I bet there are some tuners, who whould like to try to show, that they can build better car than World class manufacturers. And constructors do not even have to choose spesific brand - they can even desigh their own outer body and call it their own brand. Latvian based SRT rally team could build their own WRC27 model called Ferret 1.0

[focus206]

And constructors do not even have to choose spesific brand - they can even desigh their own outer body and call it their own brand. Latvian based SRT rally team could build their own WRC27 model called Ferret 1.0

Yes, I find it quite disgusting. Stuff like that belongs in Dakar. I highly doubt fans will go crazy for a "Ferret 1.0" funnymobile that doesn't even resemble a car on sale. The fact that many rally fans on social medias are asking themselves what brand and what model is this Rally One Project, shows that it hasn't dawned on most that it unfortunately doesn't need to resemble a model. Or it shows that those many fans would much prefer if it was a requirement.

Can't wait to see stuff like "Stake Visa Cash App Team Kick Schlesser Buggy Rally1" on entry lists...