Toyota Gazoo Racing Secures 1-2-3 Finish at Rally Japan 2025

Sports & Championship

Toyota Gazoo Racing Secures 1-2-3 Finish at Rally Japan 2025

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) celebrated a commanding performance at the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship’s Rally Japan, achieving a remarkable 1-2-3 finish to cap off an exceptional season.

Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais led the charge in the No. 17 Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, followed closely by Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin in the No. 33, with Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen rounding out the podium in the No. 5.

This marks Toyota’s third Rally Japan victory in four editions and its second all-Toyota podium lockout, further solidifying the team’s dominance on home soil. For Ogier and Landais, it was their first Rally Japan win, narrowly edging out Evans and Martin after an intense duel that saw both crews separated by less than ten seconds for most of the rally.

Celebrating Team Spirit and ‘Japan Pride’

TGR-WRT Chairman Akio Toyoda, returning as “Morizo,” praised the team’s performance and camaraderie:

“When I arrived, the team greeted me saying, ‘Welcome back to the home team!’ It reminded me that TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is built on warm companionship. This 1-2-3 finish by Seb, Elfyn, and Sami embodies the pride of Japan and our shared passion for racing.”

Toyoda also expressed gratitude to fans and organisers, emphasizing how Rally Japan has evolved into a cultural celebration, blending motorsport excitement with community spirit.

Ogier’s Determined Drive to Victory

Ogier entered the final day with a slim 6.5-second lead, facing wet and unpredictable conditions. Although Evans mounted a strong challenge early in the morning stages, Ogier responded decisively — securing multiple stage wins and extending his lead to 11.5 seconds before the final Power Stage.

In a thrilling finale, Ogier and Evans were separated by just 0.096 seconds, with Ogier claiming maximum points (35) and closing to within three points of Evans in the championship standings.

Rookie Sami Pajari, competing in Japan for the first time in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, delivered a mature drive to claim third — marking a strong finish to an impressive debut season.

Toyota’s Motorsport Legacy

Since unifying its global motorsport activities under the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing brand in 2015, Toyota has competed across multiple disciplines — from Formula One and WEC to the World Rally Championship — embodying its philosophy that “the roads build the people, and the people build the cars.”

TGR continues to leverage motorsport innovation to advance vehicle performance, safety, and sustainability — translating lessons from the track into road cars that deliver joy and driving excellence.

The next and final stop of the 2025 FIA WRC season will be Rally Saudi Arabia (November 26–29), a new gravel event debuting around Jeddah, featuring high-speed stages across desert, volcanic, and mountain terrains.