Manufacturers’ title hangs in the balance on high-speed asphalt showdown across Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
Toyota Gazoo Racing stands on the brink of sealing the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) manufacturers’ title as Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans resume their intense drivers’ championship battle at the Central European Rally (16–19 October).
Holding a commanding 125-point lead over Hyundai, Toyota can clinch its fifth consecutive manufacturers’ crown in Passau, provided it avoids being outscored by more than five points. Hyundai’s challenge rests largely on Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, with Ott Tänak excluded from manufacturer points to focus on his personal championship ambitions.
After a dominant win in Chile—his fifth victory of the year and 66th career WRC triumph—Ogier arrives in Central Europe two points ahead of team-mate Evans. The Frenchman’s flawless 35-point haul in South America swung the balance in his favour, and on the asphalt roads of Central Europe, conditions could again play to his strengths.
“I expect everyone will be giving their best, and I know that our competitors can be strong on asphalt, so it’s very much game on and I’m looking forward to an intense battle,” .
said Ogier, who is chasing a record-tying ninth world title
Evans, however, is far from conceding. The Welsh driver, a four-time WRC runner-up, knows that with two of the final three rallies on asphalt, the next fortnight could define his career. Meanwhile, reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä, sitting 21 points adrift in third, is determined to keep his slim hopes alive. Toyota’s lineup is completed by Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari, giving the team a formidable five-car entry.
For Hyundai, Central Europe presents both damage limitation and a chance for redemption. Neuville, winner of the inaugural 2023 edition, remains a potent force on asphalt despite a turbulent season. Tänak, though out of the manufacturer fight, remains a wild card for outright rally wins after a strategic decision by Hyundai to ease engine-allocation restrictions.
M-Sport Ford, meanwhile, brings its Puma Rally1s for Grégoire Munster and Jon Armstrong McErlean, with Munster returning to the scene of his career-best result in 2024.
The rally’s cross-border format once again delivers a unique test of adaptability, mixing narrow Austrian farm roads, bumpy Czech lanes, and fast, wide German asphalt. Unpredictable autumn weather—ranging from rain and fog to rapid temperature changes—promises to make tyre strategy a critical factor across the 18 special stages and more than 300km of competitive distance.
The action begins on Thursday in Passau with a ceremonial start, followed by three days of flat-out competition that could decide both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles before the WRC heads to Japan and Saudi Arabia to close the season.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) remains motorsport’s ultimate test of speed, skill, and endurance, featuring 14 events across diverse global terrains—from Sweden’s icy tracks to Kenya’s rugged landscapes.
For more details, visit www.wrc.com.
