Kalle Rovanpera confirms WRC exit for Super Formula switch in 2026
October 12, 2025
Sebastien Ogier edged his Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans to claim the overall 2025 Rally Chile victory and seize the WRC Championship lead, while Oliver Solberg secured WRC2 title.
The dramatic finale unfolded on Sunday across six challenging stages in Chile’s Biobío region, under changing weather conditions that tested every driver’s skill and resilience.
Ogier’s performance was nothing short of masterful as he battled through the day to ensure maximum 10 Super Sunday points, taking over as the new WRC championship leader with three events remaining in the season.
While the victory marked Ogier’s 66th career win from his 200th WRC start, it was especially significant for Toyota who got to secure their 103rd triumph and surpass Citroen as the manufacturer with the most rally wins.
Starting the day, Ogier and Evans were locked in a fierce battle for overall victory after intense competition throughout the weekend.
Sebastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais, who had triumphed in seven of the total 16 stages by that point, was determined to maintain his momentum and close out the rally on a strong note.
Meanwhile, Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin were focused on clawing back lost time to retain the championship lead, having held the rally lead briefly on Saturday afternoon.
The Welsh driver excelled in the wet conditions, initially closing the gap with victories in stages three and fourteen, while handling the pressure from Ogier behind him.
However, the notably drier afternoon loop provided a different challenge as the drivers transitioned to harder tyres, which Ogier mastered better than anyone else on the road, allowing him to overtake Evans and win by 11 seconds.
“The points are what we deserve after we lost some to God weather in Paraguay,” said Ogier. “I’m happy with that and I’m looking forward to switching to tarmac.
“I think it is many things that have come together. Vincent is doing a great job on my side, always perfect. The team give me good tools to fight with, so thank you guys, it is amazing. Now we are number one, a record for Toyota more than deserved.”
Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux and Alex Coria held onto third place, 46.5 seconds behind the leader, while teammates Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe battled issues to secure a respectable fourth, trailing Ogier by 59 seconds.
Hyundai initially appeared as favorites to claim the overall 2025 Rally Chile victory following their 1-2-3 lead early on, but faced tyre issues especially during the dry stages, ultimately hampering their charge against Toyota.
Sami Pajari celebrated his best showing of the season in fifth, just over half a minute ahead of double world champion Kalle Rovanpera whose title bid suffered a blow following Friday’s error which saw him clip a bank and lose 72 seconds.
Takamoto Katsuta provided a competitive challenge for the mid-field in seventh, ahead of Gregoire Munster who emerged as the leading M-Sport Ford entry after recovering from earlier setbacks.
Ott Tanak suffered engine issues throughout the weekend; despite switching to a spare engine for Super Sunday the Estonian faced overheating and loss of power, leaving him with just one point from the weekend – a devastating blow to his title hopes.
Northern Ireland’s Josh McErlean faced a tough rally with mechanical issues forcing retirement on Saturday after an impressive recovery from a high-speed spin earlier in the event.
2025 WRC Rally Chile: Sebastien Ogier leads Toyota 1-2 as Hyundai fades from contention
Full WRC 2026 calendar: 14 rounds confirmed
Oliver Solberg claims 2025 WRC2 title
An outstanding subplot unfolded in the WRC2 category, where Oliver Solberg delivered a dominant performance to clinch the 2025 WRC2 title.
Solberg’s victory in Chile marked his fifth class win of the season, sealing his maiden WRC2 championship with three races to spare.
Driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 car prepared by Printsport, Solberg capitalized on misfortunes befalling his title rivals, including engine-related retirements for Yohan Rossel and Gus Greensmith to finish ninth overall.
“What should I say? Unbelievable,” Solberg said. “I don’t know what to feel, it’s kind of overwhelming. It’s just a very big relief.
“Last year we had a bit of bad luck, we should have won it definitely. This year finally has been just an incredible year with the team and Toyota taking me onboard with a fantastic car. I’m very, very happy – thank you to everybody.”
