Hankook Tires Power Toyota GAZOO Racing to 2026 WRC Rally Sweden Victory
Round 2 of the WRC concluded in extreme winter conditions, with the entire route covered in snow & thick ice...
Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd., a tire manufacturer within the Hankook & Company Group and the exclusive rally tire supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), has successfully concluded Round 2 of the 2026 WRC—Rally Sweden—on Feb. 15 in the Umeå region of Sweden.
First staged in 1950, Rally Sweden remains the only WRC event contested entirely on snow and ice. Crews tackled 18 special stages covering approximately 185 miles in total. With speeds reaching up to 125 mph amid rapidly shifting temperatures, the rally placed a premium on precise car control, strong tire grip and handling, and dependable braking performance in punishing winter conditions, producing fierce competition across the field, company officials stated in a press release.
Toyota GAZOO Racing Wins for the 2nd Consecutive Year
After a tightly contested rally, Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin of Toyota GAZOO Racing secured victory by 14.3 seconds, winning Rally Sweden for the second consecutive year. Having also finished runner-up at the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo, the pair now lead the championship standings on 60 points.
The 2026 WRC now moves to Round 3—Safari Rally Kenya—which will take place around Naivasha from March 12 to 15. Widely regarded as one of the most demanding off-road events on the WRC calendar, the rally features extreme heat, muddy surfaces caused by heavy rainfall, and rapidly changing weather conditions that test both crews and machinery to the limit, noted the release.
