Arctic Rally 2026 – Huber/Ober Defy the Cold, Engine Failure Ends Podium Hopes

Rovaniemi – With temperatures dropping below minus 30 degrees Celsius, the 61st Arctic Rally took place last week around Rovaniemi, just south of the Arctic Circle. The long‑standing event is considered one of the toughest winter rallies in Europe and once again attracted numerous top Finnish drivers as well as international competitors to the far north of Finland.

Driving their historic Toyota Celica GT‑Four Turbo, prepared by an experienced Finnish team, Martin Huber and co‑driver Sebastian Ober tackled the more than 700‑kilometre route. From the very first special stages, it became clear that the car was perfectly set up for the extreme conditions. Traction, drivability and reliability were spot‑on, and the German‑Austrian duo quickly found a strong rhythm on the fast, snow‑covered stages.

“The car felt fantastic. Especially on the high‑speed sections, we had enormous confidence,” Huber said after the opening stages.

Up until the seventh special stage, everything was going according to plan, and the team was clearly on course for a podium finish in their class. But that was exactly where their rally came to a premature end: an overheating engine forced them to retire the Toyota. With that, the dream of a top result in the Arctic conditions was over.

At the front of the field, the international elite dominated: Elfyn Evans secured a commanding overall victory in his Toyota Yaris Rally1, finishing nearly four minutes ahead. Second place went to Esa‑Pekka Lappi in a Škoda Rally2, followed by last year’s winner Tuukka Kauppinen. Evans used the Arctic Rally as a deliberate endurance test and preparation for next week’s World Championship round in Sweden — with visible success.

Despite the retirement, Huber and Ober drew a positive conclusion: the car’s performance and the teamwork in the cockpit were excellent under extreme conditions. Once again, the Arctic Rally proved that reliability is the decisive factor at such temperatures.

“It’s a pity about the result, but we now know that we are absolutely competitive here,” Ober summed up at the finish in Rovaniemi.

Arctic Rally 2026 will be remembered not only for its biting cold, but also for its exciting sporting performances.