Sébastien Ogier clinched his ninth FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title on Saturday afternoon* after a thrilling final showdown at Rally Saudi Arabia 2025, matching the all-time record held by Sébastien Loeb. The season finale delivered high drama as Thierry Neuville claimed a hard-fought rally victory to close an intense championship year.

Ogier’s Decisive Charge Secures Historic Ninth WRC Title

Ogier began the final day with a narrow provisional two-point advantage over Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Elfyn Evans, but the championship fight turned on its head on the penultimate Asfan stage. The Frenchman surged from sixth to third overall, putting the title firmly within reach.

A calm and calculated drive through the Wolf Power Stage sealed the deal, elevating the 41-year-old to a historic ninth world crown and placing him shoulder-to-shoulder with compatriot Loeb.

The triumph also marked the first WRC championship title for co-driver Vincent Landais, who partnered with Ogier from late 2022.

Chaos on Asfan Reshapes the Rally

Ogier’s charge coincided with major drama among the frontrunners. Overnight leader Mārtiņš Sesks and Kalle Rovanperä were both forced to stop and change wheels, while Takamoto Katsuta rolled his GR Yaris Rally1. Evans climbed the order as well, but the final points gap proved too large — he finished runner-up in the WRC standings for the fifth time, just four points behind Ogier after one of the closest season finales in recent years.

Despite competing part-time in 2025, Ogier and Landais delivered a remarkable campaign, winning more than half the rallies they entered and collecting the most stage wins of any crew.

“What a fight with Elfyn and Scott… They’ve been super strong, pushing us to the limit up to the very last stage,” Ogier said. “Proud and very happy to be part of this family.”

Neuville Takes First Win of the Season in Saudi Arabia

While the title fight raged behind him, Thierry Neuville secured his first victory of 2025 with a commanding performance. The Belgian overtook Sesks on Saturday morning and held firm despite ongoing damper issues in the closing kilometres. He won by 54.7 seconds, delivering Hyundai’s final triumph of the season.

Hyundai teammate Adrien Fourmaux completed a strong 1-2 but was left wondering what might have been — a one-minute penalty for an early check-in on Friday ultimately cost him a potential maiden WRC win.

“It has been a super tough season, but to finish with an unexpected victory is obviously a great feeling,” Neuville reflected. “Next season arrives fast, and there’s a lot of work to do.”

Strong Recoveries and Late Heartbreaks

Sami Pajari fought back from a wheel-change delay on Friday to claim fourth place, narrowly ahead of Katsuta. Evans and Rovanperä finished sixth and seventh respectively.

M-Sport Ford star Mārtiņš Sesks was one of the standout performers of the rally, winning five stages and leading into the final day. However, a double puncture on Asfan cost him nearly eight minutes, and he retired before the Power Stage. His misfortune promoted Grégoire Munster, Josh McErlean, and Oliver Solberg into the top 10.

Rally Saudi Arabia 2025 – Final Classification (Top 6)

1. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe — Hyundai i20 N Rally1 — 3h 21m 17.3s
2. A Fourmaux / A Coria — Hyundai i20 N Rally1 — +54.7s
3. S Ogier / V Landais — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — +1m 03.3s
4. S Pajari / M Salminen — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — +1m 51.7s
5. T Katsuta / A Johnston — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — +1m 59.9s
6. E Evans / S Martin — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — +3m 43.9s

Final 2025 WRC Drivers’ Championship Standings

1. Sébastien Ogier — 293 pts
2. Elfyn Evans — 289 pts
3. Kalle Rovanperä — 256 pts

The FIA World Rally Championship returns in 2026, opening with the legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo from 22 – 25 January.