Sébastien Ogier wins Rally Japan and closes the gap on Evans

Sébastien Ogier won the Rally Japan after withstanding pressure from Elfyn Evans during a final day held in extreme rainy conditions. Ogier reduced his championship deficit to just three points with one round remaining to conclude the 2025 WRC season.

Toyota completed a historic 1-2-3 finish at its home event, with Sami Pajari stepping onto the podium for the first time in his career by finishing third. The result turns the title decider into an exclusively internal battle between the three Toyota Gazoo Racing drivers.

Evans Loses Ground in Power Stage Fight

Evans started Sunday 6.5 seconds behind Ogier. Evans initially managed to cut the gap on the Nukata stage, closing to within less than a second of the lead, but Ogier responded immediately on Lake Mikawako to maintain his position at the front.

The gap grew when Evans momentarily lost control on the first Okazaki super special stage, sliding down a grass-covered slope before rejoining the track. This mistake allowed Ogier to establish an 8.3-second lead which he managed until the finish line.

In the final Power Stage, both drivers set practically identical times, separated by just 96 thousandths of a second, with Ogier maintaining his winning margin at 11.6 seconds.

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Pajari Capitalizes on Fourmaux's Retirement for First WRC Podium

Adrien Fourmaux, who was running third overnight, lost control of his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 on the first stages of Sunday, hitting trees and tearing a door off the vehicle. His retirement automatically elevated Pajari to his first podium position in the world championship.

Pajari handled the pressure maturely, maintaining a consistent pace that allowed him to complete Toyota's 1-2-3 on home soil. His performance crowns a solid debut season in the top category of the world rally championship, marking his first appearance in Japan with Rally1 machinery.

Takamoto Katsuta had been in the fight for victory alongside Ogier and Evans at his home rally until he suffered damage from hitting a barrier on SS11 on Saturday. Katsuta returned on Sunday showing good pace, including two stage wins on the Okazaki super special stage.

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Rovanperä Keeps Mathematical Hopes Alive After Friday Problems

Kalle Rovanperä finished sixth overall after losing five minutes on Friday due to contact with a barrier on the second stage. Rovanperä placed third on Super Sunday and the Power Stage, showing the pace that had been missing during the weekend.

Trailing Evans by 24 points, Rovanperä retains mathematical possibilities of fighting for his third consecutive title. All three Toyota drivers remain in contention, guaranteeing that the Japanese manufacturer will win both the drivers' and co-drivers' titles.

Ott Tänak finished fourth for Hyundai after suffering a puncture during the rainy morning, but managed to win SS15, preventing a Toyota clean sweep on the final day.

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Cachón Takes His First WRC2 Victory

Alejandro Cachón scored his first victory in the WRC2 category with a Toyota GR Yaris run by Teo Martín Motorsport. Oliver Solberg, already the 2025 WRC2 champion, finished seventh overall in his Toyota GR Yaris run by Printsport in the Rally2 category.

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Akio Toyoda Celebrates Toyota's Homecoming

The chairman of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Akio Toyoda, expressed his satisfaction with the result on home soil. "It's a weekend to be thankful for fighting alongside the best teammates," he commented after witnessing the 1-2-3 finish. This marks Toyota's third consecutive victory at Rally Japan since its return to the WRC calendar, and the team's second 1-2-3 in four editions of the event.

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Championship Standings Before the Final in Saudi Arabia

The championship will be decided in Saudi Arabia with Evans leading on 272 points, followed by Ogier (269) and Rovanperä (248). Tänak is mathematically out of title contention with 213 points. The team had previously achieved a 1-2-3 at the Rally Islas Canarias 2025 with Rovanperä, Ogier, and Evans in that order.

Next Round: Debut in Saudi Arabia

The WRC concludes the 2025 season with the inaugural Rally Saudi Arabia, which will be held from November 26-29 with its base in Jeddah on gravel surfaces. It will be the first time the world championship visits Saudi territory.

Rally Japan 2025 Results