Sébastien Ogier has equalled Sébastien Loeb’s record of nine World Rally Championship titles, claiming the 2025 crown at Rally Saudi Arabia.
Ogier finished third at the event, outscoring Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans by seven points to seal the championship by four.
It’s the first title for Ogier’s co-driver Vincent Landais, who joined the Frenchman towards the end of 2022 after Ogier had decided to go part-time.
Over the course of the season, Ogier has won six events from 11 starts – missing the rounds in Sweden, Kenya and Estonia – and been off the podium just once after a puncture sent him off at Central European Rally.
In Saudi Arabia, he had been outside the top-five for most of the event before a dramatic penultimate stage – coupled to his own committed performance – vaulted him up to third and an unprecedented ninth world championship.
“What a season that’s for sure,” Ogier said. “What a fight with Elfyn and Scott honestly. There is only great champion when you have great opponent – they have been super strong pushing us to the limit to the very last stage of the year. Thank you to the whole Toyota Gazoo Racing it’s been a very successful season. Proud and very happy to be part of this family.”
Ogier’s other world titles came with Volkswagen (2013-16), M-Sport Ford (2017-18) and Toyota when he was still a full-time driver (2020-21).
Evans led the championship after 10 of the 14 rounds, but had to settle for second for the fifth time in his career.
“It was a tough event obviously. I think we did what we could within reason, the puncture on Friday morning didn’t help but that’s the name of the game at this rally,” Evans said.
“We’ve done what we can, that’s it. We’re competitors at the end of the day, we always want better, we always want more. I just have to say thank you to everyone at TGR – amazing job, thank you guys.”
