Ogier kept his word and matched the tally of the other Sébastien — his compatriot Loeb — by claiming his ninth World Rally Championship crown. A third-place finish at the Saudi Arabia Rally, the final round of the 2025 WRC season, was enough to seal the title, finishing behind the two Hyundais of rally winner Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, who was only a few seconds ahead. It was a moment of great celebration for the 41-year-old Frenchman, but also for Toyota, who dominated the season by securing the most important honours: constructors’, drivers’ and WRC2 championships. Hyundai ended a disappointing season with Neuville’s victory in Saudi Arabia and Fourmaux’s second place — a consolation that ultimately fell short of expectations.
Vincent Landais is now also a world champion in the co-drivers’ standings, following the eight titles Ogier claimed alongside Julien Ingrassia. The French driver, who began competing in kartcross at the age of eight, has now equalled Loeb with nine titles — a milestone Ogier admitted he never dreamed of when he began his remarkable career. At Citroën he spent years in Loeb’s shadow before joining Volkswagen, where he won four titles with the Polo R WRC. He then moved to M-Sport Ford, adding two more titles and turning a seemingly modest Fiesta into a championship-winning machine. His switch to Toyota brought the 2020 and 2021 titles, and now the 2025 crown. Ogier contested 11 of the 14 rallies this season and clinched the world title with a four-point lead over his team-mate Elfyn Evans, who finished runner-up for the fourth time in his career. The 2025 world champion has already promised to enter 10 events in 2026, anticipating fierce battles and even greater spectacle in the WRC.
The Saudi Arabia Rally brought the season to an end and proved to be an extremely demanding and punishing event, with punctures occurring constantly — a factor that assisted Thierry Neuville’s victory. Just ask Mãrtins Sesks, who delivered a standout performance and demonstrated the winning potential of the Ford Puma with a stunning display. Adrien Fourmaux was also in exceptional form and, without the one-minute penalty he incurred, might have fought for the win, eventually finishing 54.7 seconds behind Neuville.
The Frenchman from Gap is not focused on reaching double-digit world titles, although the possibility brings a smile to his face. In WRC2, Oliver Solberg was once again the fastest driver, although class victory went to Gus Greensmith in the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, as Solberg was not registered for points and is already turning his attention to the top category for 2026 — a season expected to be more balanced and competitive. Sébastien Ogier is the new world champion with 293 points, followed by Elfyn Evans with 289 and Kalle Rovanperä with 256, all driving Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 machinery. Hyundai secured fourth place with Ott Tänak on 216 points and fifth with Thierry Neuville, who ended the season on 194.