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FORUM8 Rally Japan 2025 - Ogier wins, champion to be announced in Saudi Arabia

Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) is the winner of FORUM8 Rally Japan 2025. The Frenchman takes home the maximum 35 points from Japan.

Sebastien Ogier achieved his 67th WRC victory of his career in Japan, significantly increasing his chances of winning a new world championship title. The eight-time world rally champion leaves Japan with 35 points, 10 more than Elfyn Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1), who took second place overall in Japan, second place on "Super Sunday" and second place on the final "Power Stage".

This means that Evans remains the leader in the championship, but his 13-point lead before the rally in Japan has been reduced to just 3 points. The Welshman now has 272 points, while Ogier has 269 points. Theoretically, only Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) has a chance of winning the championship title, having finished 6th in Japan and having 248 points. So, after winning a new championship title in the manufacturers' competition in Germany, Toyota can also look forward to the fact that one of its competitors will also be the world champion in the driver and co-driver competitions.

Toyota's potential in Japan is also confirmed by the third place in the standings, which is followed by Sami Pajari (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1). This is the first podium for the 23-year-old Pajari in the highest category of world rally sport.

The Hyundai factory team will want to forget the rally in Japan as soon as possible. After technical problems with Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) and Ott Tanak (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) and today's off-track accident by Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20 N Rally1), Hyundai had to settle for 4th place, which Ott Tanak achieved, who practically lost his mathematical chances in the title fight in Japan.

The name of the new world rally champion will be known at the last competition of the 2025 season - Rally Saudi Arabia, which will be held from 25 to 29 November. What is certain is that we can expect an exciting competition.

The fastest competitor for the M-Sport Ford team in Japan was Gregoire Munster (Ford Puma Rally1), who finished the rally in fifth place. After fifth place in Kenya, this is another practically best result for the team in the 2025 season.

The fastest competitor in the Rally2 specification car competition was once again Oliver Solberg (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2), who finished the rally in 7th place overall. However, this time too Solberg was not entered as a competitor in the WRC2 competition, so the victory in the WRC2 competition went to Spaniard Alejandro Cachón (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2), who celebrated with almost 1 minute ahead of second-placed Nikolay Gryazin (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2).

FORUM8 Rally Japan 2025 - Objective:

1. Ogier Sébastien / Landais V. Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 3:21:08.9

2. Evans Elfyn / Martin Scott Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +11.6

3. Pajari Sami / Salminen Marko Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +2:16.6

4. Tänak Ott / Järveoja Martin Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +3:18.1

5. Munster Grégoire / Louka Louis Ford Puma Rally1 +6:48.7

6. Rovanperä Kalle / Halttunen J. Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +7:01.5

7. Solberg Oliver / Edmondson E. Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +9:35.5

8. Cachón Alejandro / Rozada B. Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +10:41.6

9. Gryazin N. / Aleksandrov K. Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 +11:36.2

10. Solans Jan / Sanjuan Rodrigo Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +12:26.0

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