Taylor Gill unveils WRC2 challenger for Rally Sweden debut

Australian rally star Taylor Gill has officially pulled the covers off his 2026 World Rally Championship (WRC) challenger, revealing a striking new livery for his highly anticipated step up to the WRC2 category.

Competing in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 alongside co-driver Dan Brkic, the 2026 season marks a significant milestone as the pair transition into Rally2 machinery for the first time – a step they’ll make on the world stage.

The program is underpinned by partnerships from both Australian and Finnish businesses, headlined by Nordic bank, Ferratum.

The new livery features a sophisticated blend of grey and blue, a colour scheme that holds deep personal significance for Gill as he prepares to tackle the frozen forests around Umeå, Sweden.

"Seeing the car in its full colours for the first time makes the start of our WRC campaign feel incredibly real," said Gill.

“The grey and bright blue on the car is a bit of a nod to some of my first rallies in Australia. I never thought those colours would adorn a car of mine in the WRC, but here we are. This is a dream come true!"

“We’ve been working tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare for this step up, and to have a livery that looks this sharp is awesome. It represents the hard work of our entire team and the incredible partners who are with us on the journey."

Rally Sweden serves as a fitting backdrop for the debut, an event where Gill has previously shown great speed, winning in the Junior World Rally Championship category in 2025.

"Starting our 2026 WRC program at Rally Sweden is a challenge we are ready for. The conditions are unique, and the speeds are immense. The preparation and support we have gives us the confidence to push from the very first stage. I can’t wait to see how those colours look against the Swedish snow.

"Sweden is a legendary event, and one we’ve done well on in the past, so it’s a great place to have our first event in a Rally2 car. We will complete a pre-event test in the car, and amongst all the regular pre-event preparations, we are very busy and excited about what lies ahead.”

The team moves directly into a pre-event test, before the action of the event itself commences.

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.