- Toyota maintains 65-point manufacturers’ championship lead
Dubai, UAE – 02 July 2025: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) has braved turbulent roads, twisting mountain trails, and searing ambient temperatures to claim a hard-fought podium finish at Acropolis Rally Greece. Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais secured second place in their No. 17 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1, their performance helping the team maintain its drivers’ championship lead and Toyota its 65-point manufacturers’ championship advantage.
Greece’s rough, rocky terrain and temperatures exceeding 40°C posed a significant challenge for TGR-WRT and the GR YARIS Rally1. The early stages west of Athens were especially demanding, with loose stones and step-like bedrock testing the car’s durability, while the narrow, twisting mountain roads in the final legs left no room for error. Ogier maintained a leading pace despite running second on the road during the first day, helping clear a racing line while still delivering competitive times.
Building on that performance, he and co-driver Landais began the final leg 43.6 seconds behind the leader and mounted a determined push, clocking the fastest times in both the penultimate test and the rally-ending Power Stage. The result saw them top the final-day classification and earn 10 bonus points, in addition to 17 for securing second place overall.
Over the years, Toyota has been participating in many different forms of motorsports, including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race. Toyota’s participation in these events was overseen by separate entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota established TGR, to consolidate all of its motorsports activities under one in-house brand. Representing Toyota’s belief that ‘the roads build the people, and the people build the cars,’ TGR highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar of Toyota’s commitment to making ‘ever-better’ cars. Harnessing years of experience gained under the extreme conditions of various motorsports events, TGR aims to forge new technologies and solutions that bring the freedom, adventure, and joy of driving to everyone.
Round 8 of the 2025 FIA WRC is Rally Estonia (July 17–20), which returns to the calendar after a one-year absence. The event features high-speed gravel stages around Tartu, Estonia’s second-largest city and the rally’s central hub, combining wide and narrow sections with a predominantly soft, sandy surface.
Race Notes:
- No. 17 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 (Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais)
- Position: 2nd
- Time: 4 hours, 12 minutes, and 52.9 seconds