Taylor Gill claims fourth on WRC2 debut

Australia’s rising WRC stars, Taylor Gill and Dan Brkic, have delivered a phenomenal performance on their World Rally Championship 2 (WRC2) debut, securing an impressive fourth-place finish at the snow-covered Rally Sweden.

Stepping up to the highly competitive WRC2 category aboard a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Gill showed his speed and consistency across the four-day winter challenge.

Such was their performance, the Australians finished behind only a trio of seasoned Finnish drivers – competitors who have spent the majority of their rally careers in Nordic conditions, and each who have spent several seasons in the WRC2 category.

The result is a massive milestone, especially considering their limited seat time in the new machinery prior to the event.

"Finishing fourth on debut in WRC2 is something I’m very proud of," Gill said at the end of the event, during which temperatures were consistently below minus 20 degrees.

"We were learning the new car all weekend, but it felt like progress was being made on every stage, and that was helping us build our speed and confidence.

"The Rally2 car is so much more advanced than the Rally3 car we have been used to, and to be at the speed we were at after just one test day is great."

Beyond the success on the stages, simply reaching the starting ramp in Umeå was a victory in itself for the team.

Supported by a dedicated group of Australian and Finnish partners, Gill's campaign has been built from scratch over the off-season after the heartbreak of missing out on prize drives at the end of last season.

"I’m not just proud of the result, I’m proud of the hard work that’s gone into making this event happen. After the conclusion of our 2025 season, we had no budget and had to work from the ground up to keep progressing in the WRC," Gill explained.

"An incredible amount of thanks must go to our team, sponsors and supporters. They should feel as much a part of this result as Dan and I do.”

With a top-four finish now under their belts, Gill and Brkic have their eyes forward to the tarmac stages of the Croatia Rally, round four of the World Rally Championship, and beyond.

Their participation remains dependent on securing the appropriate funds needed to get their planned program off the ground.

"Our focus immediately turns to trying to secure the budget for the rest of the season, where we hope to compete in further events in WRC2,” Gill added.

"We believe there is so much more improvement possible for us this year, and with more time in the car, we know we can continue to make strides forward."

• Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic’s 2026 WRC program is supported by: Ferratum, PowerPlay, Accent Benchtops, FlowTech Australia, Hissi Keskus, Premier Pools, WOLF Sports, Dogbox Oy, Lithiumax, RallySchool Australia, Curiositi, M31 Consulting, Punkahajun Kilpi Oy, RallySport Magazine, and Ice Cube

WRC2 STANDINGS | RALLY SWEDEN

1. Korhonen/Viinikka (FIN), Toyota, 2hr46m29.3s

2. Suninen/Hussi (FIN), Toyota, +10.2s

3. Joona/Linnaketo (FIN), Skoda, +58.4s

4. Gill/Brkic (AUS), Toyota, +2m34.2s

5. Reiersen/Gustavsson (SWE), Skoda, +2m56.9s