Gill & Brkic set for Scandinavian snow

A start on snow is something Taylor Gill has become accustomed to in the past two years, and  2026’s start will again be at Rally Sweden, although it holds extra weight as he tackles the event in the WRC2 category.

Piloting a brand new Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Gill and co-driver Daniel Brkic have given themselves the best chance at being at the pointy end of the field, but the Australian duo are realistic in their goals for their debut event in a car of this specification.

Finnish rally team Dogbox Oy took delivery of the new GR Yaris earlier this year, and Gill has since been learning the intricacies of the car in the team’s workshop in Vääksy.

“Getting this event together has been a mammoth effort, and we are extremely grateful to be on the start line,” Gill explained.

“The costs to compete in this event have been helped by both Australian and Finnish businesses, who have thrown their support behind us to give us the best possible chance in a Rally2 car.”

The 22-year-old completed a pre-event test in the car on Finnish snow last week, but miles in the car have been limited due to time constraints in the lead-up to Rally Sweden. 

Experience on snow is something that Gill lacks compared to his rivals, despite winning the Junior WRC category at this event in 2025, and he will need to continually learn the car throughout the event as he gets a handle on the Toyota.

“The stages are similar to last year, but they’re always incredibly fast. From where we are on the road, we should be able to have consistent conditions.

“The car felt great during the pre-event test, so I’m feeling confident and ready to get stuck in. 

“Of course, we will be learning the car as the weekend goes on, but it’s a great package. We will need to build on what we have learned across the past two years here in Sweden in order to perform at our best.”

Expectations for the event are being spoken about externally, but for Gill and Brkic, it’s their own confidence and consistency that will be paramount in getting a good result against a high-quality field in the WRC2 class.

“There is no question that there are great drivers all around us; however, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Once we get into action, we will know where we stand, but I know we will be improving on every single stage.

“We know that we learn nothing by being buried in a snow bank on the side of the road, so having a clean run is, of course, at the top of the priority list.”

Seeded as the ninth WRC2 car on the road, the category features top-level talent including former Hyundai and M-Sport Ford factory driver Teemu Suninen, and the last two Junior World Rally Champions, Romet Jürgenson and Mille Johansson.

RALLY SWEDEN FACTS & FIGURES

• Stages: 18 special stages from Thursday to Sunday covering 300.66 competitive kilometres

• Entries: 59 entries, with 28 in the WRC2 category

• The Only Pure Winter Round: Rally Sweden is the only event on the WRC calendar held entirely on snow and ice, making it one of the toughest challenges of the season.

• Using the snowbanks: Drivers use a unique technique where they ‘lean’ the side of the car against the frozen snowbanks to help guide them through corners at higher speeds. However, it can be fraught with danger.

• Studded Grip: To find traction on the frozen roads, cars use special studded tyres fitted with hundreds of metal studs. These bite through the ice to provide incredible grip – often more than what you’d get on gravel.

• Umeå Move: Since 2022, the rally has been based in Umeå. Moving further north in Sweden helps to guarantee deep snow and the thick ice required for a top-class winter event.

• Historic Rally: The rally has been a staple of the WRC since it began, being left out of the calendar for only five years between 1973 and today.