Rally Chile, round 12 of the 2026 WRC season, will take place from 10 to 13 September around Concepción in the Biobío region. The event features 311.18 kilometres of timed stages, with around 40 per cent of the route newly introduced or substantially revised for this year.
Three straight wins cut the points gap to 20
Evans leads Pajari by 20 points after the latter took three consecutive wins in Estonia, Finland and Paraguay. Solberg is 41 points behind the championship leader, with Katsuta a further 15 points behind Solberg and Ogier 68 points off the lead.
Toyota’s pre-event announcement states that its manufacturers’ championship lead stands at 173 points, with 180 points still available over the remainder of the season, meaning another seven points in Chile would secure the manufacturers’ title.
Weather to shape road sweeping and tyre management
Evans says that in dry conditions, cars running early on the road will encounter a loose surface layer, while tyre wear could also be severe. After rain, the roads can become muddy, much like those in Wales, with thick fog adding to the driving challenge. Pajari has already contested the event twice in a Rally1 car. He enjoys the fast, flowing rhythm of some stages, which resembles Finland, while warning that tyre wear and changing weather remain challenges.
Last year’s Rally Chile winner Ogier is hoping for more settled weather. Katsuta, meanwhile, will team up with stand-in co-driver James Fulton: following the final-day accident in Paraguay, further examinations confirmed that Johnston had fractured his collarbone, and he is recovering at home.
Route changes and the entry line-up
Thursday features shakedown and the ceremonial start. On Friday, three revised stages to the southeast will each be run twice. Saturday’s action takes place south of the Biobío River and, at 139.2 kilometres, is the event’s longest competitive day. Sunday pairs the new Carampangue stage with the returning Biobío stage, with the second pass of the latter serving as the Power Stage.
Hyundai will field Fourmaux, Neuville and Lappi. Sporting director Andrew Wheatley believes the double podium in Paraguay has brought confidence, but with different road surfaces and weather in Chile, the team will still face strong opposition in its pursuit of a podium finish. M-Sport Ford will field McErlean and Armstrong, both continuing in the Puma Rally1.
