Rally Chile win puts Ogier in WRC points lead; Solberg clinches WRC2 title

Sebastien Ogier clinched his fifth win of the season and surged into the FIA World Rally Championship points lead after a commanding performance on Rally Chile.

The eight-time WRC champ (above) completed a remarkable weekend by beating title rival and Toyota Gazoo Racing teammate Elfyn Evans by 11s. Erstwhile points leader Evans had begun Sunday’s four-stage final leg just 6.3s adrift in an identical GR Yaris Rally1 car.

Toyota’s 10th win of the season from 11 rallies also pushed it further clear of Hyundai Motorsport, edging it closer to a fifth consecutive WRC manufacturers’ title. It also cemented the Japanese marque’s status as the most successful manufacturer in WRC history, with 103 rally wins.

Adrien Fourmaux led at the end of day one but ultimately finished third – Hyundai’s top performer – ending the rally 35.5s behind Evans to secure his third podium of the year.

Ogier’s triumph – his second in as many rounds – continues his remarkable run of never finishing off the podium in 2025 as he targets a record-equaling nine WRC titles to put him level with fellow Sebastien and Frenchman, Sebastien Loeb. The result moves him two points clear of Evans in the drivers’ standings with just three rounds remaining. Crucially, it means Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais will open the road at next month’s Central European Rally, a strategic benefit on that rally’s all-asphalt stages.

Much like his victory in Paraguay two weeks previously, Ogier’s weekend in Chile began with a tough Friday. He dropped as low as fifth on the leader board before rebounding on Saturday, aided by setup changes and damp conditions that shifted the dynamics of the all-gravel event. A masterful final leg left Evans with no answer, as Ogier collected maximum Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage bonus points, too.

“It is like we wanted,” said Ogier of completing his victory sweep in the WRC’s South American double-header. “It has been a more difficult weekend than Paraguay. We had to fight a bit more, we had a little issue in the mornings as I was not awake, but we can be pleased with the way we ended up. I’m happy with that and I’m looking forward to switching to [asphalt].”

Sebastien Ogier’s fifth win of the 2025 WRC season moves him into a slender two-point lead in the drivers’ standings. Toyota Gazoo Racing

Fourmaux had led in his i20 N Rally1 after Friday’s opening leg, but was pushed down the order by the charging Evans and Ogier in Saturday morning’s damp conditions. After that, he was never truly in contention again, but did win the intra-team tussle with Thierry Neuville.  

Reigning WRC champ Neuville finished 12.5s behind Fourmaux, but expressed frustration that his driving efforts weren’t being reflected in the stage times. 

“It is very frustrating, but it is the same for the whole team,” Neuville admitted. “But it keeps on going which makes it even worse. I’m happy with my driving and that is the only thing we can do at the moment.”

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville was frustrated by a lack of ultimate pace in his i20 N Rally1, the reigning champ finishing fourth overall. Red Bull Content Pool

Ott Tanak in the third of the factory Hyundais had retired from the lead with engine failure on Friday, restarted with the requisite time penalty, but could only salvage one point as he continued to experience issues with his replacement power unit.

Two-time WRC champ Kalle Rovanpera arrived in Chile second in the standings in his Toyota, but dropped to third in the points after finishing sixth overall, his weekend becoming a game of catch-up after a tire debeaded when he hit a bank on day one. The Finn now trails Ogier by 21 points.

Sami Pajari in fifth and Takamoto Katsuta in seventh completed a 100-percent finishing record for the five-car Toyota factory fleet, with Gregoire Munster finishing eighth overall for the M-Sport Ford team. Munster had kept it neat in his Puma Rally1 and, crucially, avoided the engine issues that thwarted factory teammate Josh McErlean and local hero Alberto Heller’s chances of top-10 finishes.  

In WRC2, Oliver Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson were crowned 2025 world champions in international rallying’s second-tier class after sealing a dominant Chile victory.

The 23-year-old Swede navigated Sunday’s four-stage finale with the poise of a champion-elect, extending his overnight lead over Nikolay Gryazin’s Skoda to take maximum points – and with them, an unassailable lead in the standings. Ironically, it was a puncture at this very event 12 months ago that cost him the 2024 title by just three points.

Solberg’s 2025 campaign was a dominant one. After switching from Skoda to a Printsport-run Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – the same car and team that powered Sami Pajari to last year’s WRC2 title – he claimed five wins from his seven nominated scoring rounds.

The season began with a third consecutive win at Rally Sweden, followed by class victories in Portugal, Greece, Paraguay and, ultimately, Chile to secure the championship.

“Unbelievable,” said an elated Solberg. “I don't know what to feel; it's kind of overwhelming. It's a very big relief. Last year we had a bit of bad luck and we should have won it; this year has just been an incredible with the team and Toyota taking me on board with a fantastic car. I am very, very happy.”

Oliver Solberg made amends for his 2024 WRC2 title near-miss with a victory in Chile that sealed the 2025 championship for the 23-year-old Swede. Red Bull Content Pool

Next up, the WRC returns to Europe for the Central European Rally, Oct. 16-19, the 12th round of the 14-event season. Based in Passau, Germany, the border-crossing, all-asphalt rally will take crews to stages spanning Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

WRC Rally Chile, final positions after Sunday/Leg Three, SS16
1 Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 2h55m42.1s
2 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +11.0s
3 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +46.5s
4 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +59.0s
5 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +1m03.4s
6 Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +1m35.7s
7 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +2m14.0s
8 Gregoire Munster/Louis Louka (Ford Puma Rally1) +2m44.1s
9 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – WRC2 winner) +8m18.6s
10 Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (Skoda Fabia RS – WRC2) +8m59.0s

WRC Drivers’ Championship after 11 of 14 rounds
1 Ogier 224 points
2 Evans 222
3 Rovanpera 203
4 Tanak 181 
5 Neuville 166

6 Takamoto Katsuta 94

WRC Manufacturers’ Championship after 11 of 14 rounds
1 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 572 points   
2 Hyundai Word Rally Team 447   
3 M-Sport Ford 157
4 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 111

• Catch more 2025 WRC action on the RACER+ App and the RACER Network. There’s LIVE Wolf Power Stage coverage from all remaining rallies on the RACER+ App, plus same-day airings on the RACER Network.

Next up, it’s back to Europe and the all-asphalt Central European Rally, with Power Stage action on Sunday, Oct. 19. Then it’s more flat-out asphalt with Rally Japan, followed by an all-new gravel rally in Saudi Arabia as the season finale.

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