Gordon Shedden used all of his experience to take a determined win in Round 9 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.
Shedden started on a reverse grid pole and his Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport Toyota came under significant pressure from championship leader Ash Sutton late on, while Tom Ingram was third on the road as he charged from last on the grid, before a track limits penalty dropped him to 8th. Daryl De Leon of WSR inherited third position.
The three-time champion did well to ward off the challenges of the Cataclean Plato Racing duo of Dan Rowbottom and Adam Morgan in the early laps before they faded late on, and led a peaceful existence in the lead until Sutton passed Morgan with an excellent move into Agostini.
From there it was the boost-laden Toyota against the Ford/Sutton combination with only a single lap of boost to its name, and it looked as if Sutton would win out as a move around the outside at Turn One briefly had him in the lead, but Shedden held the inside to repel an inspired Sutton.
Further back, it was a return to form for the West Surrey Racing BMW duo of Daryl De Leon and Charles Rainford, as they climbed from 10th and 8th on the grid to record 3rd and 5th place finishes respectively either side of Restart Racing’s Chris Smiley.
Morgan fell back to 6th as his boost ran out with Tom Chilton 7th. The top 10 was rounded out by Dan Cammish’s 9th placed NAPA Racing Ford Focus and Rowbottom, who faded badly on medium tyres.
It was an emotional podium at the end of race three, as Nicholas Hamilton won the Jack Sears Trophy in scenes that united the entire BTCC paddock.
Ash Sutton took a remarkable British Touring Car Championship victory from 11th on the grid in a chaotic Race 2 at Snetterton to extend his lead at the top of the Championship to 48 points.
He led home Team Vertu duo Ricky Collard and Tom Chilton, while Suttons championship rival Tom Ingram in another Vertu Hyundai retired with a loss of drive, after a significant lock up on lap 8 saw him drop from the lead to 5th under pressure from Sutton’s NAPA Ford.
The race started with Ingram making an early move on polesitter Charles Rainford after holding off the other WSR BMW of Daryl De Leon, and the race seemed to settle down as De Leon held back the NAPA Ford of Dan Cammish and Ricky Collard’s fast starting Hyundai, while Josh Cook dropped back from fourth on the grid in his Toyota Gazoo Racing Corolla.
That all changed midway through the race.
Sutton had been steadily gaining places after his start took him to 8th from 11th and once he eventually deposed Collard from 5th, he was quickly into the medium shod and comparatively boost starved BMWs of De Leon and Rainford, with Cammish passing De Leon for third on lap 6.
De Leon quickly fell backwards as Sutton and Rowbottom both shuffled the BMW backwards, where he would eventually end up tenth.
Sutton easily dealt with teammate Cammish and Rainford’s BMW before he attacked Ingram into Riches. Ingram covered off the inside but on the brakes into Wilson, he locked up and went off to allow Sutton, Cammish, Collard and Chilton through.
An alternator failure on lap 10 proved Ingram’s undoing, while Collard and Chilton both passed Cammish at the end of the race to get onto the podium.
Gordon Shedden in the Laser Tools with MB Motorsport Toyota was seventh overall to take Independent honours ahead of Rainford in 8th.
West Surrey Racing’s Charles Rainford took his second career victory in Race One of the day’s British Touring Car Championship action.
Rainford won yesterday’s pole race and was never troubled after an excellent start to win ahead of Vertu Hyundai’s Tom Ingram, while Rainford’s WSR teammate Daryl De Leon was a storming third from sixth on the grid.
The result sees Sutton’s lead at the top over Ingram fall to 26 points ahead of last season’s champion Ingram, while Rainford is now third overall and atop of the Independents’ Championship.
They were followed by Josh Cook in fourth ahead of Dan Cammish, while Dan Rowbottom reacted to a tough Brands Hatch weekend with 6th place.
Tom Chilton lead home Vertu Hyundai teammate Ricky Collard, while James Dorlin continued his good form in his Restart Racing Hyundai with 9th ahead of NAPA Racing’s Sam Osborne.
Ingram passed Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Josh Cook for second on the opening lap with an excellent switch back move on the Snetterton 300’s tight and twisty infield section, but settled for second stating later that “there was an adult in his head” when thinking about chasing the BMW in the lead.
De Leon in his fast starting BMW passed the Cataclean Plato Racing Mercedes of Dan Rowbottom off the line for fifth but didn’t make any further moves until a blistering lap 9.
There, he first despatched Dan Cammish’s NAPA Racing Ford at the end of the Bentley straight into Brundle, before a lovely late braking move on Cook’s Toyota into Agostini half a lap later.
Further back, championship leader Ashley Sutton recovered to 11th from last on the grid following technical troubles in yesterday’s Race to Pole, in no small part due to a stunning lap 1 in which he gained 8 places to move up to 13th.
Charles Rainford will start from pole position following victory in the BTCC Race To Pole at Snetterton on Saturday afternoon.
Rainford led home Toyota Gazoo’s Josh Cook and Tom Ingram’s VERTU Hyundai, while Championship leader Ashley Sutton suffered a technical issue to drop to the back of the field.
The result sees Ingram close the gap between himself and Sutton in the standings to 39 points, with the Ford driver still in a very strong position after just six rounds.
WSR BMW driver Rainford passed Vertu Hyundai’s Tom Chilton on lap 1 in a move that ultimately relegated to polesitter to 6th on the first lap, with Cook, Ingram, Ash Sutton and Cammish all profiting from a robust move around the Snetterton 300’s infield section.
Chilton would receive a 5s penalty for a starting offence to drop to eighth at race end, while Cammish bump drafted teammate Sutton to third into Nelson’s on the first lap as the field jostled for position.
Sutton suffered a tyre failure on lap 3 at Murrays to relinquish third and headed to the pit lane to correct this, and he will start from 21st after suffering similar trouble at the season opening Donington Park round.
He finished Race One in 2nd on that occasion, but with the lowest Toca Boost available of anyone in the field he’ll have it all to do to repeat that feat.
Provisional Starting Grid For Round 7 of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton:
Charles Rainford, West Surrey Racing
Josh Cook, Toyota Gazoo Racing
Tom Ingram, Team Vertu
Dan Cammish, Alliance NAPA Racing UK
Dan Rowbottom, Cataclean Plato Racing
Daryl De Leon, West Surrey Racing
Adam Morgan, Cataclean Plato Racing
Tom Chilton, Team Vertu
James Dorlin, Restart Racing
Sam Osborne, Alliance NAPA Racing UK
Dexter Patterson, Steel Seal With Power Maxed Racing
Ricky Collard, Team Vertu
Gordon Shedden, Laser Tools with MB Motorsport
Chris Smiley, Restart Racing
Mikey Doble, LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing
Nicholas Hamilton, Team Vertu
Lewis Selby, Alliance NAPA Racing UK
Max Buxton, Toyota Gazoo Racing
Aiden Moffat, LKQ Euro Car Parts with Power Maxed Racing
Barcelona delivered the Moto3 battle we have been waiting for, but even in the middle of the slipstream chaos it was Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) who once again found the answer. The championship leader timed his charge to perfection, survived a final-corner attack from David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), and claimed a third consecutive victory to extend his advantage to 64 points after six Grands Prix.
Before the race had even begun, there had already been drama in the lightweight class. A number of riders received warnings for one or more slow sectors in excess of 135% of the best session time, with most avoiding further punishment as it was their first offence. For Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse), however, it was a second offence, earning the Irishman a 12-place grid penalty.
When the lights went out, polesitter Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) made a superb launch and immediately grabbed the holeshot. Behind him, Quiles was forced to fight in the pack, battling with Hakim Danish (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI) as the front group began to form.
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As expected at Barcelona, the slipstream quickly became the deciding factor. The long run down the front straight kept the lead group tightly bunched, with Uriarte, David Almansa (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP), Muñoz, Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), Danish, Jesus Rios (Rivacold Snipers Team), Quiles, Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) all locked into a frantic battle. It was a refreshing change from much of the season so far, where Quiles’ dominance has often left the field chasing shadows. This time, the championship leader had to be patient. He sat in the group, allowed the fight to unfold around him, and waited for the right moment to strike.
Quilez did not need to control every lap. Instead, he stayed calm, stayed close, and with five laps remaining began to move himself into the podium fight. One lap later, Quiles hit the front for the first time. He was unable to hold the lead immediately, with Almansa, Muñoz, Uriarte and Danish all still firmly in contention, but the message was clear. The #28 had arrived when it mattered.
The closing laps became a classic Moto3 scrap. Riders continued to attack and counter-attack, with the podium places changing constantly as the pack thundered through the final sector. Jesus Rios was one of the standout performers and looked firmly in the podium fight before his race ended cruelly at Turn 10 on the penultimate lap.
Rios was not the only rookie to impress. Uriarte backed up his pole position with a composed and aggressive ride to finish fourth, while Danish produced one of his strongest Grand Prix performances yet on his way to seventh. Both narrowly missed out on the podium, but their pace and racecraft offered another glimpse of just how exciting this rookie class could become in the coming years.
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At the front, Quiles began the final lap with the lead, but the fight was far from over. The championship leader defended through Turn 5 and again at Turn 10, leaving Muñoz with one last opportunity at the final corner. Muñoz launched a bold move up the inside, briefly snatching the lead in a dramatic last-corner attack. For a moment, it looked as though the victory might be stolen away. But a front-end moment on the exit cost Muñoz the drive he needed, allowing Quiles to power back past on the run to the chequered flag.
Behind them, there was one final twist. Carpe, who had started down in 13th, produced a perfectly timed run to the line to snatch second from Muñoz, completing an all-Spanish podium for the second time this season. Uriarte crossed the line in fourth for his best Grand Prix result to date, with Almansa completing the top five. Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) came through to finish sixth, while Danish secured seventh after a strong ride inside the lead group.
Pratama was the leading Honda rider in eighth, ahead of Fernandez in ninth. Fernandez remains second in the championship standings, but now sits 64 points adrift of Quiles after another damage-limitation result. O’Gorman completed the top ten after recovering well from 24th on the grid following his penalty.
Just outside the top ten, Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing) continued his strong points-scoring form in 11th, finishing just over five seconds from victory. Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) followed in 12th, narrowly ahead of Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power), Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) and Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI), who completed the final points-paying positions in 15th.
Barcelona finally gave Moto3 a proper group battle, full of slipstreaming, late moves and rookie promise. Yet even when the race refused to follow the usual script, the final line remained familiar: Quiles under pressure, Quiles composed, Quiles victorious.
The 2026 Czech Round at Autodrom Most saw Nicolo Bulega under serious pressure from his ever-improving teammate Iker Lecuona while Yari Montella finally secured the podium finishes he had crashed out of more than once already this season, but the ultimate outcome up front was all too familiar…
Race 1
The race was immediately red-flagged on lap one when Danilo Petrucci crashed at turn 13 and the BMW rider needed stretchered out of the gravel trap.With Miguel Oliveria already absent and Michael van der Mark back to replace him this weekend, BMW may need not one but two replacement riders for the next round in just two weeks time, with Petrucci ruled out of Sunday’s action in the Czech Republic… just like Alvaro Bautista who crashed at the same place earlier in the weekend.
On the restart, Alberto Surra and Sam Lowes provided the entertainment for the first few laps before they came together at turn 15.Surra was docked with a long-lap penalty which spoiled another impressive run in his debut season while a livid Sam Lowes was knocked out of the race and the podium hunt.
Profiting from the incident were a rejuvenated Garrett Gerloff with his best WorldSBK result in a long time with fourth for Kawasaki.Axel Bassani was fifth and his teammate Alex Lowes put on a charge after a poor qualifying to rise to seventh a long way behind Lorenzo Baldassari but prevailing over Andrea Locatelli and the penalised Surra.
Montella stayed on the bike – unlike in previous rounds where he was running well – and was rewarded with a podium that should have come much earlier in the season.Up front having unsurprisingly dispatched Montella for second, Lecuona was promisingly keeping Bulega honest as the race progressed.
Unlike in the first race at Assen where he pounced on Bulega’s mistake when the rain failed, this time around Lecuona caught and passed Bulega with no external factors.With eight laps still to go Lecuona was right on the back wheel of his teammate and next time around got past at the turn one/two sequence.
Lecuona then had to perform some block passes over the thrilling final laps of the race, but Bulega ultimately retook and held the lead in time to stretch a one-second gap on the last lap.Finally the Italian has a genuine competitor in 2026 but importantly Bulega still has the upper hand and his unprecedented winning streak continues.
Race 1 Results
Image Credit: WorldSBK
Tissot Superpole Race
Bulega immediately went wide at turn one which allowed Lecuona into the lead and set up a fight for the win… which lasted for half a lap.Once Bulega struck back he was able to repel his teammate for another victory and guarantee pole for the afternoon race.
Also at the start, Sam Lowes crashed out while Axel Bassani and Locatelli had to take to the escape road and bypass the first two turns.Montella settled in third and Gerloff ran as high as fourth before slipping back behind Baldassari (who nearly made it to the podium) and Surra.
Bahattin Soguoglu’s engine blew up at halfway but thankfully the race was not affected.The three BSB champions came rounded out the top nine that sets the grid for the full-distance afternoon race while Bulega came home two seconds clear out front.
Tissot Superpole Race Results
Image Credit: WorldSBK
Race 2
For almost the first half of the race, there were six Ducati’s in the top six.The order at the front was once again Bulega, Lecuona, Montella and Baldassari – the latter coming close to the podium again and who broke free from one of the most interesting battles of the season so far behind him.
Gerloff and Surra spent the majority of the race locked in a thrilling duel for fifth.They came together twice before Gerloff finally won out, with their battles allowing the Bimota duo to close in once they had dispatched of Tarran Mackenzie.
Mackenzie slid out with a small error with seven laps to go, as Locatelli and Bridewell fought all the way to the line over ninth.Sam Lowes slowly made progress from his poor grid position but spent most of his time battling the struggling Yamaha’s.
As in Saturday’s race the fight for the lead was closely contested by the factory Ducati duo.Although this was the closest Lecuona (or anyone) has come to beating Bulega this year, the Italian demonstrated he still has the upper hand and sealed a narrow victory.
With the rumours of a MotoGP switch for 2027 intensifying and both Montella and Surra putting on an audition to replace him, the Superbike World Championship finally enjoyed a competitive weekend of racing at the sharp end in 2026. Ultimately however, the end result was all too familiar as Bulega took another record-extending treble victory.
Round 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has just finished and oh boy was it crazy! Lets run through the main points:
bWhile the race start was clean, it wasn’t long until a collision was created. Nick Cassidy and Jake Dennis collided after the tunnel with Dennis ending up out of the race. Cassidy received a drive through penalty as a result of this but managed to drive his way back to P10.
At the end of the race, Ticktum and Da Costa were fighting for P3 before at the same part of the track that Dennis and Cassidy were too, they both crashed and Da Costa ending up stopping on track and leading to a full course yellow until De Vries was half way done the final lap. Ticktum was blamed for this incident and received a drive through penalty which was converted to a 33 second penalty which dropped him to P12.
Different strategies make or break at Monaco: There were a various amount of strategies displayed throughout the first of two races this weekend. Many drivers such as De Vries, Evans and Barnard pitted for their pitboost several laps before Ticktum which worked out in some of their favors with clear air and Ticktum w as jumped by many drivers and, despite taking a later attack mode and managing to get up to P3, its still a “what might have been” moment for Ticktum.
Tyre Trouble: There was a surprising amount of punctures throughout the race with Wehrlein and Rowland suffering from them early on in the race with Mortara and Nato then suffering drive through penalties for tyre pressure infractions and ultimately ruining their chances of any points.
Championships Heats up: Before we entered this weekend, Wehrlein, Evans and Mortara were all within 10 points of each other. Due to Wehrlein and Mortara not scoring any points and Evans getting 18, he jumps to 15 points ahead of the Season 10 champion. Rowland, Cassidy, Dennis and Da Costa score no points so Mueller and Evans capitalise as much as they can.
In the teams championship, Jaguar now lead Porsche by 3 points with Mahindra maintaining their lead over Nissan. Envision climb above Andretti AND Citroen.
Manufacturers sees Porsche maintain their lead ahead of Jaguar, Stellantis, Mahindra, Nissan and Lola.
Its the Principalty week for Formula E as we head to the iconic Monaco circuit for a double header weekend!
Circuit Information: This 19 turn circuit follows the similar layout from other circuits! This iconic circuit has delivered drama, debuts, history and overall entertainment!
We have 2 different numbers of laps for both rounds: Round 9: 29 laps with pit boost and 1 attack mode activation for 6 minutes. Round 10: 28 laps with 2 attack mode activations for 6 minutes. These differences will be big for the races and energy strategy
Round 9 Predictions
Pole Position: Taylor Barnard
This track is very special for the most recent DS Penske newest driver. He won his maiden F2 race at the Monaco 2024 sprint race and replaced Sam Bird on the same year when he hurt himself during a free practice session. He got pole last year so I think he will do it again!
1st Place: Taylor Barnard
Pole to win for Barnard? I think so! Barnard’s maiden victory is a “when” not “if” in this writer’s opinion. Monaco is the best place for this to happen for Taylor!
2nd Place: Oliver Rowland
Rowland and Barnard share a history together. A mentor-mentee style of relationship. Rowland has also had good history around here so a podium with his young protégé is likely.
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – MAY 03: Race winner Oliver Rowland of Great Britain and Nissan Formula E Team in parc ferme during the Monaco E-Prix, Round 6 of the 2025 FIA Formula E World Championship at Circuit de Monaco on May 03, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Simon Galloway/LAT Images for Formula E)
3rd Place: Sebastian Buemi
Buemi’s run of form around Monaco is something sensational. Managing to win last year in his Envision was incredible, especially as he started P8. I think it will be close between the top 3, with the Swiss driver only claiming P3.
Round 10:
Pole Position: Oliver Rowland
As the reigning world champion, Oliver Rowland will have some extra power so I think a pole position is likely!
1st Place: Nick Cassidy
Is this an odd choice? I don’t think so. Nick has always been very strong with strategy and around Monaco, Citroen could very well take his talk and execute it so they learn more and take them into the final 7 rounds of the season.
2nd Place: Mitch Evans
The most recent Berlin E-Prix winner and after a race where he finished off the podium the day before, a strong bounce back is what I think will happen for Evans.
3rd Place: Pascal Wehrlein
Season 10 champion will want to finish strong before a month-ish break before Sanya. A podium finish would be great for him!
Treacherous conditions at Le Mans produced a survival test in Moto3, but through the chaos it was Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) who once again emerged in complete control. The championship leader delivered a composed wet-weather masterclass, leading every lap to claim consecutive victories and strengthen his advantage at the top of the standings.
The race began under unusual circumstances after an entirely dry weekend was suddenly interrupted by rain before lights out. Race Direction officially declared the Grand Prix wet, opening pit lane for 10 minutes prior to the start so riders could gain valuable experience in the changing conditions.
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Quiles immediately seized command with a brilliant launch off the line, surging into the lead before the field had even completed the opening sector. Behind him, the race unraveled rapidly. Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) became the first rider to crash after losing control at Turn 2, while David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) slid out moments later at Turn 3. The opening lap chaos continued when Cormac Buchanan (CODE Motorsports) suffered a violent highside exiting Turn 7.
The wet circuit continued to catch riders out as the race settled. Casey O’Gorman (SIC58 Squadra Corse) crashed after making early progress through the field, while Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Joel Kelso (GRYD – MLav Racing) also became victims of the slippery conditions.
At the front, however, Quiles looked completely unfazed. Lap after lap, the Spaniard steadily extended his lead while rivals behind him struggled simply to stay upright. Championship contender Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) saw his race end in the gravel at Turn 10, while Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) briefly rose into second position before crashing out just corners later.
Those incidents elevated Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) into second place, with Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) moving into podium contention despite earlier serving a Long Lap Penalty. Fernandez settled into a comfortable rhythm in the closing stages, while Bertelle secured his long-awaited return to the rostrum.
By the chequered flag, Quiles had built a margin of nearly two seconds to complete another commanding performance and extend his championship lead to 46 points. Fernandez finished runner-up for his second podium in succession, while Bertelle celebrated his first top-three result since Austin in 2025.
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Further behind, Veda Pratama (Honda Team Asia) continued his impressive form with fourth place, while Joel Esteban (LEVEL UP – MTA) stormed from 20th on the grid to fifth after an outstanding recovery ride. Guido Pini (Leopard Racing) recovered from a disappointing Jerez weekend with sixth, and Adrian Cruces (CIP Green Power) delivered a strong home performance in seventh.
Elsewhere, Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLav Racing) celebrated a career-best ninth-place finish, while Uriarte somehow managed to recover from two separate crashes to still leave Le Mans with a championship point.
Just outside the top ten, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) recovered from an earlier crash to finish 11th ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka (AEON Credit – MT Helmets – MSI). Marco Morelli (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) salvaged 13th despite his late fall from podium contention, while Leo Rammerstorfer (SIC58 Squadra Corse) claimed 14th. Remarkably, Brian Uriarte (Red Bull KTM Ajo) fought back from two separate crashes to secure the final championship point in 15th.
We came then to the final day of this amazing rally and with almost 67 kilometres over four stages to run, what would they hold for the crews? Josh and Eoin would return to the action and open the road throughout the stages after the M-Sport Ford team completed rebuilding the Puma at around three o’clock. It was an amazing feat from the team.
First up was SS20 Vieira do Minho 1 and the rain which was expected had arrived making the stage super tricky. Elfyn would set the pace from Oliver and Thierry whilst rally leader Seb was fifth. The Frenchman saw his lead trimmed to just over fourteen seconds. It was a good start to the day from Elfyn who led the super Sunday standings from Oliver.
The first run of SS21 Fafe 1 saw the rain move through the stage changing the road surface. Josh set the pace from Martins for the Rally1 crews. However incredibly the later Rally2 crews came through with better road conditions and the Irishman’s time was beaten by Robert Virves by almost nine seconds in his Skoda Fabia. Interestingly Seb added a few seconds to his lead over Thierry as they set the sixth and twelfth fastest time respectively. Meanwhile, Elfyn continued to lead the super Sunday standings from Oliver.
Then it was back to SS22 Vieira do Minho 2 and there was more rain coming through the stage as the crews came through. Adrien was fastest of the crews from Takamoto and Oliver. Elfyn was fifth fastest and almost eighteen seconds slower than Adrien, but only around eight seconds slower than Oliver. This did mean that Oliver moved to the head of the super Sunday standings. There was drama for two of the Toyota crews though as both Seb and Sami suffered punctures and as it was early in the stage they both stopped to change the wheel over. This all meant that they dropped positions in the overall standings. Seb emerged in sixth place whilst Sami was seventh. The Frenchman’s hope for an eighth victory was gone.
We came then to the final stage, SS23 Fafe 2, the powerstage and again the rain was coming and going in the area as the crews made their way through. Adrien was set the pace from Thierry and Elfyn whilst Oliver was fourth and Seb fifth fastest. Thierry and Martijn took victory for Hyundai, their first of the year, whilst Oliver and Elliott were second and Elfyn and Scott were third.
Let’s hear from the drivers and take a look at the final finishing positions.
Hyundai Motorsport
Thierry Neuville
“What a weekend! It has been crazy out there, and we have faced all kinds of conditions and emotions, but we have been consistent, fighting with the fastest on every stage, never really losing a lot of time. I think that is what gave us the final victory, as well as making no mistakes. We know the rally is never over until it’s over; the stress was very high on the last stage, but we made it. This win feels very special; as a team, we have been chasing this result for a while, and haven’t been rewarded, and I let the team down in Croatia. We needed to fight back, and the rally gods were with us this weekend. I’m very happy to bring home the first victory of the year for the team.”
2026 FIA World Rally Championship 06 Round, Rally de Portugal 06-10 May 2026 Photographer: Dufour Fabien Wordwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Adrien Fourmaux
“It has been a very positive weekend for the team here in Portugal, so we can be pleased to score 20 points as a crew and that Thierry and Martijn have taken the win. It’s a great result for the whole team, and with all the preparation we have done recently, I am pleased we are now enjoying some nice success. I’d like to say thank you to the team, and also thank you to the fans. It has been fantastic to see you all out in force even in the rain. Overall, it’s been a very challenging rally – but I think that’s why we love it.”
Dani Sordo
“I have to admit we are not very happy with our performance here in Portugal. It was a difficult rally with the weather, which made the conditions very slippery, and I didn’t feel good in the car. However, I am delighted for the team – everyone really deserves this victory, especially after what happened in Croatia, so very happy for this.”
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Oliver Solberg
“Firstly, I’m sorry to our team-mates who had been in front of us until the bad luck they had today. I think we all had our challenges this weekend. It’s been a tough event and a bit of a rollercoaster; we were up and down all weekend. After two tough rallies for me, and even if this one hasn’t been easy either, I’m very happy at least to finally be back on the podium with some good points. It’s a big relief. Thank you to the team for believing in me and our mechanics for always fixing the car.”
Elfyn Evans
“This has been a long event with very tough conditions and a lot of ups and downs. There were some moments where we had good pace, and others where I wasn’t so proud of my driving. I think there was potential for more, but we didn’t quite get it right. Our team-mates Seb and Sami have been unlucky today and I feel for them. I never want to gain positions that way, but it’s part of the sport sometimes. We’ll take the points and aim for more in Japan.”
Takamoto Katsuta
“This was a difficult weekend for us. We took a bit of a risk with the car setup at the beginning of the rally to help with my road position, and it didn’t really work out. Together with the team were able to make improvements and the feeling got much better during the weekend, but it was difficult to catch up to those ahead of us. In the end, with the bad luck our team-mates had today, we could score some decent points. Now I’m really looking forward to my home event, Rally Japan.”
Sébastien Ogier
“We had some tough luck today. In the beginning of this penultimate stage, it was very rutted and there were some rocks in the line; I don’t think we could have done much differently. Everything that we could control this weekend, I think we did it pretty well, together with the team. I think we all deserved better, but that’s rallying sometimes. Of course, when you put in so much effort it’s frustrating, but we have to forget about it and go to Japan and look to get another win there.”
Sami Pajari
“It’s disappointing what happened today, as everything had been going really well until then. From what I could see, there was a huge loose stone in the line, and we hit it and got a puncture. There was nothing much I could do. Otherwise, though it has been a good event for us. The performance was really strong, one of the best we’ve had so far. It’s always a pity when the reward doesn’t come our way, but we just need to take the many positives from this weekend and be even stronger on the next rallies.”
M-Sport Ford WRT
Mārtiņš Sesks
“Looking back at the weekend, there are a lot of positives we can take from this rally. We showed consistent performance throughout the whole weekend, having some top three times each day, which demonstrates that we have a good base. Now it’s up to taking the knowledge from here and trying to put it into our next rally in Greece.”
Josh McErlean
“Rally Portugal is done and dusted. It’s been quite competitive this weekend with plenty of ups and downs. We nearly secured the stage win today in Fafe, which was special, but we were just edged out at the very last minute. We faced some issues along the way, and unfortunately hit the wall in Lousasa on Saturday night, probably the worst wall you could hit in rallying! I want to give big thanks to the whole team for their tremendous effort to get us back out today. They were up quite late last night, so thanks to all the lads and ladies for that. Japan is next, and we’re looking forward to it and getting back on Tarmac, before the summer gravel rallies.”
Jon Armstrong
“It’s disappointing to retire while we were fighting our way back into the points after the mechanical issues on Friday. The margins are fine at this level, and unfortunately this time it didn’t go our way. Portugal is a great event, but it hasn’t been my luckiest yet. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming rallies and coming back stronger.”
Mille Johansson
“We showed some really good pace in the dry conditions, but the rain made it very difficult to find a rhythm and build confidence. I think we exceeded our expectations for this rally, particularly in the dry, and I’m happy with that. There are still a few things we need to work on, but overall, it’s been a very positive rally for us.”
Romet Jürgenson
“We experienced an impact from a rock early on that broke the steering rack, leaving us without power steering. The wisest option was to retire to fix it for the next day, as there was no service available on days one and two.
“On Friday, I was able to demonstrate decent speed through the stages. Saturday was challenging with torrential rain affecting our road position, making it difficult to commit fully without risk. Sunday’s weather was more favourable, allowing us to achieve some good stage times.
“Overall, there’s still work to do in my driving, particularly on the sandy stages, to extract the best performance from the vehicle. Despite the challenges, this event was an improvement compared to last year. We’re now focused on moving forward to our next competition in Japan.”
Rally de Portugal Final Classification
1
T. Neuville
M. Wydaeghe
Hyundai i20 N Rally1
03:53:01.7
2
O. Solberg
E. Edmondson
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+16.3
3
E. Evans
S. Martin
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+29.1
4
A. Fourmaux
A. Coria
Hyundai i20 N Rally1
+54.8
5
T. Katsuta
A. Johnston
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+1:12.6
6
S. Ogier
V. Landais
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+1:26.6
7
S. Pajari
M. Salminen
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+2:50.9
8
D. Sordo
C. Carrera
Hyundai i20 N Rally1
+4:10.0
9
M. Sesks
R. Francis
Ford Puma Rally1
+6:49.2
10
T. Suninen
J. Hussi
Toyota GR Yaris
+11:13.8
Super Sunday Classification – Rally de Portugal
1
O. Solberg
43:15.1
2
E. Evans
+4.2
3
A. Fourmaux
+4.3
4
T. Katsuta
+10.6
5
T. Neuville
+11.4
Summary
Well, what a rally we had and what a drive from Thierry and Martijn. They were there to benefit when Seb and Vincent had their puncture in the penultimate stage. The French crew in the Yaris on balance probably deserved victory but this is the way of rally and punctures are all part of the challenge.
Oliver and Elliott took a strong second position and also took the maximum points for super Sunday. This has given them a good boost of points in the championship, and they hold third in the championship.
Finally, Elfyn and Scott once again showed what a great partnership they have, taking third overall and good points as well to extend their championship lead over Takamoto and Aaron. It’s been a positive first half of the season for them and they’ll open the road next time in Japan.
2026 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers’ Standings
After round 6
1
E. Evans
123
2
T. Katsuta
111
3
O. Solberg
92
4
A. Fourmaux
79
5
S. Pajari
78
6
S. Ogier
67
7
T. Neuville
65
8
E. Lappi
21
9
Y. Rossel
20
10
L. Rossel
18
2026 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers’ Standings
After round 6
1
Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team
311
2
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team
218
3
Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team 2
86
4
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
71
Next up is Rally Japan which moves from November to May taking place over the weekend of 28 to 31 May.
