Toyota sweeps top four on home turf; Round 8 set for Greece, June 25–28

A Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team car competes in Round 7 of the 2026 World Rally Championship in Japan. [Hankook Tire]
A Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team car competes in Round 7 of the 2026 World Rally Championship in Japan. [Hankook Tire]

The Japan Rally, Round 7 of the 2026 World Rally Championship, concluded May 31 in Japan's Aichi and Gifu prefectures, Hankook Tire & Technology — the exclusive racing tire supplier for the FIA-sanctioned series — announced Sunday.

The event was a tarmac rally spanning 302.82 kilometers across 20 special stages, routed primarily along mountain asphalt roads lined with steep cliffs, crash barriers and forest paths. With few straight sections and narrow road widths, drivers faced demanding conditions requiring precise steering and sustained concentration.

Unlike conventional circuit racing, rally competition is heavily influenced by road surface conditions and weather. The Japan Rally was no exception — mountain fog, localized rain, and fluctuating temperature and humidity made tire grip and handling critical variables throughout the event.

Hankook Tire supplied two tarmac rally tires for the round: the Ventus Z215 for dry surfaces and the Ventus Z210 for wet conditions. The Z215 supported cornering and handling performance on sections with repeated high-speed bends, while the Z210's drainage capability and grip helped drivers maintain vehicle control on rain-soaked or damp roads.

Round 7 also drew attention as a home event for Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team. Elfyn Evans claimed victory after a sustained battle through the narrow, punishing mountain stages, extending his lead in the drivers' championship standings. Sébastien Ogier, Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta followed across the finish line in that order, giving Toyota a clean sweep of the top four positions on home soil.

The 2026 WRC season continues with Round 8, the Greece Acropolis Rally, running June 25–28 in and around Loutraki in central Greece. The event is known for rough gravel roads, mountainous terrain and temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, making tire durability and thermal stability the defining factors.

Hankook Tire has been the exclusive tire supplier across all WRC classes since the 2025 season. The company plans to apply performance data gathered from the WRC and other global motorsport events to the development of its high-performance tire lineup.


kwater@heraldcorp.com