TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team heads into a निर्णing phase of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship as the season shifts to a demanding run of seven consecutive gravel rallies, beginning with the iconic Acropolis Rally in Greece.

At the halfway point of the campaign, the team is in a commanding position. A stunning 1-2-3-4 finish on home soil at Rally Japan has opened up a 127-point lead in the manufacturers’ standings, while all five of its drivers occupy the top five positions in the drivers’ championship. At the centre of that success is Dolgellau’s Elfyn Evans, who arrives in Greece as the championship leader.

Evans’ victory in Japan marked a pivotal moment in his season, extending his advantage to 20 points over team-mate Takamoto Katsuta. More importantly, it reinforced his consistency and composure under pressure—qualities that will be crucial as the championship moves onto gravel, where conditions can be far less predictable. With Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari also in close contention, and reigning champion Sébastien Ogier still within striking distance, Evans knows the battle is far from over.

The Acropolis Rally represents one of the toughest tests on the calendar. Known for its rough, rocky terrain and high temperatures, it places significant strain on cars, tyres and drivers alike.

This year’s event is centred in Loutraki, near the Corinth Canal, and features a mix of classic stages and new challenges across central Greece and the Peloponnese, including a curtain-raising super special stage in Athens.

For Evans, leading the championship presents its own challenges. Opening the road on gravel rallies often means sweeping loose surface material away for those behind, potentially costing valuable time. However, the Welshman has shown growing maturity in handling this disadvantage and is quietly confident heading into the second half of the season.

The 37-year-old Dolgellau driver said: “ To win Rally Japan again was amazing and it rounded off what’s been quite a good first half of the year for us, but we know that the second half can be tough with every rally being on gravel, so everything is still very open in the championship.

“Greece can be one of the more difficult rallies to open the road, particularly with most of the Friday stages being run only once. But we’ve got some good experience now of being in this position, and we’ve been working hard together with the team to try and improve the feeling and the pace for those conditions.

“We already made a step forward in Portugal, and we’ll be trying to make the best of the situation again in Greece.”