Rovanperä wins in Central Europe after Ogier crashes out

Kalle Rovanperä won the Central European Rally after Sébastien Ogier retired due to an accident while leading the competition on Saturday morning. The victory for the Toyota driver allowed the Japanese manufacturer to secure its ninth consecutive constructors' title in the WRC.

Ogier lost control of his GR Yaris Rally1 on the Keplý stage, hitting a tree at high speed in wet conditions. The impact of approximately 10G tore off the vehicle's front left wheel and forced the eight-time world champion to retire when he held a lead of just six-tenths of a second over Rovanperä.

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Rovanperä Inherits the Lead and Manages the Advantage

Ogier's retirement radically changed the course of the rally. Rovanperä, who had been engaged in an intense battle with his teammate since the start of the race, inherited a comfortable lead that he managed wisely until the end.

The duo of Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen completed the rally's 17 special stages without major issues, securing their third victory of the 2025 season with a final margin over Elfyn Evans.

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Evans Capitalizes on Rival's Retirement and Retakes Championship Lead

Elfyn Evans arrived at the Central European Rally two points behind Ogier in the overall championship standings. His rival's retirement allowed him to retake the WRC lead with a 13-point advantage with two rounds remaining in the season.

Evans fought an intense battle with Ott Tänak throughout the weekend. The Hyundai driver had managed to pass him on Saturday and held an eight-second lead heading into Sunday, but Evans regained ground in the final stages.

"We were lacking a bit of speed this afternoon. We'll try again tomorrow," Evans admitted after securing second place overall.

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Ogier Minimizes Damage with Super Sunday Strategy

Despite his retirement on Saturday, Ogier was able to return on Sunday under the rules that allow retired drivers to rejoin the race with penalties. His goal was clear: to score as many points as possible to keep his championship hopes alive.

The strategy worked perfectly. Ogier won both the overall classification of Super Sunday and the 26.52-kilometer Power Stage, adding 10 points that keep him tied with Rovanperä on 234 units, just 13 behind Evans.

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Toyota Controls Standings and Seals Ninth Consecutive Title

The first and second places of Rovanperä and Evans, plus the fourth place of Takamoto Katsuta and the sixth of Sami Pajari, secured the constructors' title for Toyota. It is the ninth consecutive one for the manufacturer, which is approaching the all-time record of Lancia with 10 crowns.

Katsuta achieved two stage wins during the weekend and maintained a good pace throughout. His performance reinforced Toyota's control, which placed four vehicles in the top six of the final classification.

Hyundai Salvages Third Place with Tänak

Ott Tänak saved the day for Hyundai by securing the third podium spot, although he reported transmission problems during the final day that limited his performance in the decisive stages.

Adrien Fourmaux finished fifth with the second i20 N Rally1 of the Korean team, adding valuable points for the constructors' championship. Thierry Neuville, on the other hand, had a difficult weekend and finished seventh after battling confidence and pace issues.

"It's still tricky in the bumpy sections, but I have a better feeling now on the smoother roads," Neuville explained at the end of the rally.

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Championship Wide Open Heading into Final Rounds

With the results of the Central European Rally, the fight for the drivers' title remains open. Evans leads the standings with 247 points, followed by Ogier and Rovanperä tied with 234 each. Tänak is fourth with 197 points.

The title will be decided in the two remaining rounds of the calendar: the FORUM8 Rally Japan from November 6-9 and the Rally Saudi Arabia from November 26-29, where the 2025 world champion will be crowned.

Final Classification - Central European Rally 2025