Most recent winner · Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 (2026)
First held
1911
Surface
Mixed ice, snow and asphalt
Most recent winner
Oliver Solberg Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 (2026)
Rallying institutionTurini by nightStudded-tyre tactics on ice and snow
About the rally
Founded in 1911, Rallye Monte-Carlo opened the 2026 season from a base in Gap, France, with stages extending into the Alps above Monaco. The edition planned 17 stages covering 339.15 kilometres.
Dry and wet asphalt, snow, ice and mud may occur on the same stage. Tyre choice must balance different conditions, while local weather changes affect grip on each section of road.
In 2026, Solberg won here for the first time at age 24. Using a modern-era definition, Toyota compared his winning age with Ogier’s in 2009; this was his second WRC victory, not his first.
Rally history
Founded in 1911: The Automobile Club de Monaco created the event to test car reliability and driver endurance. Competitors travelled from across Europe to converge on Monaco, establishing the basic form of long-distance rallying.
Founding WRC round: When the World Rally Championship began in 1973, Monte-Carlo hosted the opening round. It has opened almost every season since and is among the WRC’s longest-established events.
A stage for the greats: Waldegård, Röhrl, Sainz, Loeb and Ogier—almost every generation of world champions has left its mark here. Nine-time world champion Ogier has been a dominant force on these mountain roads in recent years.
Solberg’s 2026 victory: Solberg, aged 24, claimed his first Monte-Carlo win as Toyota swept the podium. The modern-era age comparison uses Ogier’s 2009 victory as its reference.
Rally characteristics
Mixed snow and ice surfaces: Dry, wet, snowy and clear-ice conditions may all occur on a single stage, making anticipation of the surface and accurate co-driver pace notes essential.
Tyre compromises: With ice, snow and drier roads mixed within a stage, tyre choice must accommodate different areas; local conditions change which solution works best.
Turini by night: Night stages across the Col de Turini are among rallying’s most famous images; mist around the pass and beams of headlights form an emblem of Monte-Carlo.
The opener’s significance: As the season’s first round, the result sets a psychological tone for the year and traditionally marks the title contenders’ first direct confrontation.
2026 WRC Rallye Monte-Carlo · Data review
2026-1-25, Rallye Monte-Carlo concluded. Oliver Solberg, aged 24, and Elliott Edmondson recorded 4h 24m 59.0s to win by 51.8 seconds over Evans. This was Solberg’s first Monte-Carlo victory, not his first WRC win; he had already won in Estonia in 2025.
Overall results · Top three
Position
Driver
Car
Total time / gap to winner
1
Oliver Solberg
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
4:24:59.0
2
Elfyn Evans
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+51.8 s
3
Sébastien Ogier
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+2:02.2
Event highlights
A young winner in the modern era: Solberg led from Thursday’s second stage, maintaining his advantage through snow, ice, rain and mud. Using a modern-era definition, Toyota compared him with Ogier’s 2009 victory; Solberg was almost a year younger when he won.
Toyota sweeps the podium: Evans finished second and won the final Power Stage; he was second in the Super Sunday standings. Ogier finished third, 2m 02.2s behind the winner and 1m 10.4s behind Evans.
Three M-Sport cars retire on Sunday: Grégoire Munster had competed earlier in the event but retired with a mechanical problem on Sunday’s road section before the first stage. Jon Armstrong and Josh McErlean both crashed out on SS16. WRC2 winner Léo Rossel finished sixth overall in a Citroën.
Event facts at a glance
Item
Data
Location
Gap, France
2026 planned stages
17 stages (2026)
2026 planned stage distance
339.15 km
Surface type
Mixed ice, snow and asphalt
First held
1911
Most recent winner
Oliver Solberg (Toyota, 2026)
2026 event record
Solberg: youngest winner here in the modern era, aged 24
Also known as
Rallying institution · WRC season opener
Monte-Carlo’s challenge comes from changing conditions within a single stage. Tyre choice must accommodate both icy or snowy sections and drier roads, and an overall lead does not guarantee first place in both Sunday bonus classifications. The 2026 rally winner and Power Stage winner were different drivers.
Information updated: 2026-10-3
Rally data
Stages17 (planned)
Total stage distance339.15 km (planned)
SurfaceMixed ice, snow and asphalt
Most recent winnerOliver SolbergToyota GR Yaris Rally1 (2026)
