Toyota is heading into Rally del Paraguay with a major opportunity to secure yet another World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title.
Toyota has dominated the championship this year, winning nine of the ten rallies held so far. Elfyn Evans, Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari have all contributed victories, while Oliver Solberg has also taken a win. Hyundai’s only success of the season came in Portugal, where Thierry Neuville took advantage of a late puncture for Ogier to claim victory.
The numbers clearly demonstrate Toyota’s superiority. The manufacturer currently holds a 174-point advantage over Hyundai, with 240 points still available in the championship. However, after Paraguay, only 180 points will remain to be scored.
That means Toyota does not need to win the rally to become champion. If its nominated drivers score at least seven more manufacturers’ points than Hyundai in Paraguay, Toyota will secure its sixth consecutive manufacturers’ championship and its tenth overall.
On paper, that target looks very achievable. Toyota has outscored Hyundai by more than seven points in every rally where it has finished ahead this season. Its smallest advantage came in Estonia, where Toyota still managed to gain ten more points than its main rival.
There have only been two occasions in 2026 when Hyundai has beaten Toyota in the manufacturers’ points. The first came at Safari Rally Kenya, while the second was Portugal, where Neuville’s victory helped Hyundai take a narrow advantage despite Toyota’s strong overall performance.
Rally Paraguay therefore represents another opportunity for Toyota to demonstrate the consistency that has defined its season. With multiple drivers capable of fighting for victory and championship points, the team has several ways to achieve the required margin.
For Hyundai, however, the situation is much more difficult. It needs a strong result from its leading crews while simultaneously hoping that Toyota loses valuable points. With Toyota having been so dominant throughout the season, that is a challenging task.
If Toyota delivers another controlled and competitive performance in Paraguay, the manufacturers’ championship could be decided this week. After ten rounds of near-total dominance, the question is no longer whether Toyota deserves the title — but how soon it will officially become champion.
Photo Credits: Toyota
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