Story byMotorsport photoTom HowardSun, January 25, 2026 at 5:54 PM UTC·4 min readBefore the weekend, Oliver Solberg had modest expectations: tipping a top five result as his goal for his first start as a full-time factory Toyota World Rally Championship driver. However, that quickly changed after he delivered a stunning drive to win what was regarded as the toughest Monte Carlo for a generation. Extreme wintry weather plagued the asphalt event, offering up incredibly difficult snow and ice-covered roads across the event's 17 stages. Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson were seemingly able to tame the conditions the best across the four days, defying expectations in the WRC service park for what was possible from their first tarmac event driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 car. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBeating more experienced team-mates Elfyn Evans and 10-time Monte Carlo winner Sebastien Ogier, while also becoming the youngest ever Monte Carlo winner in the WRC, only emphasised the magnitude of his performance.“It is incredible and I’m speechless to be honest, it is a dream come true.