2026 WRC2 Rally Sweden: Korhonen wins and ties Rossel for the lead

Roope Korhonen won the WRC2 category at the 2026 Rally Sweden at the wheel of a Toyota Yaris GR Rally2, with a 10.2-second advantage over Teemu Suninen. The top three places went to drivers from Finland, and the result leaves Korhonen tied at 25 points with Léo Rossel, winner in Monte Carlo, at the top of a championship where the top eight form four pairs with identical scores.

From Second to First in Sweden

Korhonen, 27, competed for the Rautio Motorsport team (operated by Printsport) and achieved his first victory in the Swedish rally. In 2025 he had finished second in this same rally, so the progression is evident and positions him as one of the serious contenders for the WRC2 title in 2026.

"It's an incredible feeling," said Korhonen. "It was a very strong weekend for us. Thanks to the team, to Printsport, they did a great job. Thanks to our engineer and to Rautio. It was quite difficult on some stages, we tried to stay clean and avoid mistakes."

Suninen Didn't Lose His Rhythm

Suninen's second place is as relevant as Korhonen's victory for the season's narrative. Suninen had not competed in the WRC since Rally Finland 2024, when he was still part of top-tier factory structures like M-Sport Ford and Hyundai Motorsport. In Sweden, he competed for the first time with a Toyota Yaris GR Rally2, with Janni Hussi as co-driver, and went head-to-head with Korhonen on several timed stages.

The fact that a driver with that experience returns to WRC2 and immediately fights for victory gives the category a different weight this year. If Suninen maintains a regular program, he will be a constant factor in the fight for the top spots.

Lauri Joona, with his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, finished third, 58.4 seconds behind Korhonen, matching his best WRC2 performance achieved at Secto Rally Finland 2024.

Photo By Red Bull Content Pool

Gill Didn't Need Kauppinen's Bad Luck

Taylor Gill finished fourth in what was his first WRC2 race. The Australian, based in Finland and runner-up in the Junior WRC in 2025, ended up 2:34.2 behind the winner and finished 23.1 seconds ahead of Isak Reiersen, fifth and the best-placed among the local drivers.

It's true that Gill benefited from the engine failure that knocked Tuukka Kauppinen out of fourth place 10 kilometers into the Sunday stage, but his pace throughout the entire weekend was consistent and didn't rely on that stroke of luck. Kauppinen had the worst part of the rally: he had been running in fourth place with his Yaris throughout the entire event and was on his way to his best WRC2 result when the engine stopped. Michał Sołowow from Poland rounded out the top six, more than five minutes behind Reiersen.

Everyone's Tied with Everyone

With only two rounds completed, the 2026 WRC2 standings show the top eight drivers grouped into four pairs with identical scores. Korhonen caught up to Léo Rossel at the top with 25 points; Rossel had scored those 25 with his victory in Monte Carlo, the first round of the calendar.

Daprà and Suninen share 17 points. Joona and Pelamourgues are tied at 15. Gill and Camilli round it out with 12 each. With eight drivers separated by just 13 points and the season just beginning, the fight for the WRC2 title has all the ingredients to remain open for several months.

WRC Overall - Rally Sweden 2026

POS	#	PILOTO/COPILOTO	EQUIPO	MARCA	MODELO	TIEMPO
1	20	Roope KORHONEN Anssi VIINIKKA	Rautio Motorsport	Toyota	Gr Yaris	2:46:29.3
2	24	Teemu SUNINEN Janni HUSSI	Teemu Suninen	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 10.2
3	23	Lauri JOONA Antti LINNAKETO	Lauri Joona	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 58.4
4	29	Taylor GILL Daniel BRKIC	Taylor Gill	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 2:34.2
5	25	Isak REIERSEN Stefan GUSTAVSSON	Isak Reiersen	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 2:56.9
6	44	Michał SOŁOWOW Maciej BARAN	Printsport	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 8:54.8
7	38	Tommi JYLHÄ Kimmo NEVANPÄÄ	Tommi Jylhä	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 10:10.6
8	39	Giovanni TRENTIN Pietro Elia OMETTO	Mt Racing Srl	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 12:25.7
9	45	Marko VIITANEN Tapio SUOMINEN	Marko Viitanen	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 17:23.3
10	31	Mattéo CHATILLON Maxence CORNUAU	Mattéo Chatillon	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 19:54.2
11	47	Cristian BAUMGART Luis Felipe ECKEL	Cristian Baumgart	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 22:51.2
12	51	Miguel GRANADOS Marc MARTÍ	Miguel Granados	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 22:51.5
13	48	John WARTIQUE Maxime ANDERNACK	John Wartique	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 24:06.2
14	70	Pauric DUFFY Jeff CASE	Pauric Duffy	Hyundai	I20 N	+ 33:32.1
15	69	Jorge MARTÍNEZ Marcelo BRIZIO	Jorge Martínez	Hyundai	I20 N	+ 38:11.4
16	27	Romet JÜRGENSON Siim OJA	M-sport Ford World Rally Team	Ford	Fiesta Mk Ii	+ 42:33.4
17	30	Alejandro CACHÓN Borja ROZADA	Toyota España	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 44:18.0
18	41	Bernhard TEN BRINKE Tom WOODBURN	Bernhard Ten Brinke	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 44:56.3
19	52	Luciano COBBE Roberto MOMETTI	Luciano Cobbe	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 45:22.0
20	50	Ugur SOYLU Onur VATANSEVER	Gp Garage My Team	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 47:04.3
21	34	Eliott DELECOUR Sabrina DE CASTELLI	Eliott Delecour	Toyota	Gr Yaris	+ 47:48.1
22	49	Robert KOLČÁK Petr ČERNOHORSKÝ	Chooligan Racing Team	Hyundai	I20 N	+ 61:46.8
23	43	Jarosław KOŁTUN Ireneusz PLESKOT	Jarosław Kołtun	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 66:58.4
24	42	Alejandro MAURO Ariday BONILLA	Alejandro Mauro	Skoda	Fabia Rs	+ 96:14.2
25	68	Enda MCCORMACK Liam MCCORMACK	Enda Mccormack	Hyundai	I20 N	+ 113:20.8