Rally Saudi Arabia 2025 Preview

Time then for the fourteenth and final round of this years World Rally Championship on the sand and gravel roads of Saudi Arabia. This round is a complete unknown with roads which will have never been used before in the championship and in this respect it will be interesting how things develop with each car coming through. There will be completely new pace notes to prepare for the crews during recce Road position could and likely will be crucial in the ultimate result taken at the end of the rally, and this will likely have a huge bearing as to who takes the drivers and co-drivers titles.

Just three points separate Elfyn and Scott from the second placed crew of Seb and Vincent, whilst Kalle and Jonne are a further 24 points in third.

 

Now just some housekeeping to mention at this point. This will be the final WRC event for Ott and Martin as was announced by Hyundai after Rally Japan. The 2019 world champions are calling a day on their careers. Joining them in retirement are Kalle and Jonne, with Kalle switching codes to circuit racing next year in Super Formula.

 

We know who is joining Toyota’s Rally1 squad as well, as WRC2 champions Oliver and Elliot will be in the top spec GR Yaris. What we don’t know yet is whether Hyundai will run three cars next year and should they do who the third crew will be?

 

One final thing to mention following the sporting news and this is a bit political from me. Why on earth have the FIA decided to give a round of this amazing championship to a country which has a questionable government which is alleged to have carried out some really bad things against its own citizens is beyond me? I know there are a huge number of fans who’d love to see the championship back in Britain. Can you imagine the huge interest as Elfyn and Scott who lead the points standings if they were competing at home for the title on some of the most iconic stages? Only last weekend was the thirtieth anniversary of Colin and Derek taking the 1995 championship and we could have had this for the Toyota crew. I think that it is a huge shame Wales Rally GB has now been missing for six years from the championship.

 

Now, let’s take a look at the stages.

Competitive action commences on Wednesday evening with the first run of Jameel Motorsport Super Special (SS1/8, 5.22km).

A jam-packed Thursday will see crews contest seven stages: two loops of Al Faisaliyah (SS2/5, 19.36km), Moon Stage (SS3/6, 20.12km) and Khulais (SS4/7, 11.33km) followed by the final run of Jameel Motorsport Super Special (SS1/8, 5.22km).

 

Friday’s itinerary features six stages: two loops of Alghulah (SS9/12, 11.69km), Um Al Jerem (SS10/13, 30.58km) and Wadi Almatwi (SS11/14, 28.59km).

 

The final day of competition includes three stages and features the event’s longest stage: two loops of Thahban (SS15/17, 16.39km) sandwich the treacherous Asfan (SS16, 33.88km).

 

There are 319km’s over seventeen stages with the longest day of competitive action being Friday’s stages. Also, the event actually finishes on Saturday instead of Sunday.

 

Let’s hear from the drivers then.

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Elfyn Evans

“We go to Saudi Arabia knowing that everything is still to play for and very open in the championship. Seb is a tough opponent and performing at a really high level, and Kalle cannot be counted out at this stage either. It will be tough, but we’re going to give it our best shot of course. Nobody really knows what to expect from this event. None of the drivers have done it before and many of the stages are completely new anyway, so it’s basically a clean sheet for all of us. We just have to arrive there, focus on doing the best rally we can, and see what comes.”

Sébastien Ogier

“It was an intense battle with Elfyn for the win at Rally Japan and it was good for us to close the gap in the championship before the final round. It’s been a strong year, I’m happy with the performance we’ve had, and I’ve really enjoyed driving the car. Hopefully this all-new rally can be a good and exciting finale for the championship. Nobody has much experience of what the stages are like there, so there can be the potential for a lot of surprises. There could be rough sections with a lot of rocks around, but hopefully the conditions are fair for all of us, and may the best man win!”

Kalle Rovanperä

“For us the championship is not really in our hands anymore, but we still have a chance, so let’s see how it goes in Saudi Arabia. The stages look to be quite tricky with a lot of rocks around, so there could be a fairly big chance of something happening for any of the drivers. All that we can do is focus on trying to do a good job and get a good result for ourselves, and we would still need the others to have a bad result. Whatever happens, hopefully we can make it a good last rally to finish this chapter in a nice way.”

Takamoto Katsuta

“I’m looking forward to discovering Rally Saudi Arabia for the first time. None of us have been there before and from the information we have, it looks like it’s going to be very tough. It could be quite like Kenya in some places, and maybe a similar kind of approach could be needed. That has suited me well in the past, but we need to see what it’s like when we get there. I hope to be able to finish the year with some positive feelings to be able to take into next year, and I’ll try my best like always.”

Sami Pajari

“It was really nice to achieve our first podium finish at Rally Japan, and it shows that we have been moving in a good direction through this first proper season with the Rally1 car. Now we have something completely new to end the year in Saudi Arabia. Nobody knows really what’s going to happen there, but I’m looking forward to it nonetheless. I would guess that it might be quite like Kenya in some ways – there we took a steady approach that really paid off in the end with a good result – but we need to wait to see exactly what challenges we face.”

 

Hyundai Motorsport

Ott Tänak

“We are going into the unknown with Rally Saudi Arabia, so we will have to go there and discover what the event has to offer. We will be back in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 evo for the event, a car which has performed especially well on rough gravel. We don’t know exactly what to expect from the rough gravel in Saudi Arabia, but the team has been strong in these sort of conditions in the past.”

Thierry Neuville

“We don’t know too much about the event; we only have some footage of the stages which we can check to get a better idea of the surface and the layout. We won’t get a full understanding until we arrive in Jeddah. It’s hard to say exactly what we will need from the car setup, but with the high risk of punctures, loose stones and rough surface, we need a reliable car and a high ride height for maximum protection. We’ve had a tough year, but we will go all in for one final victory for the team – we have nothing to lose.”

Adrien Fourmaux

“I really enjoy brand-new events because all crews go into it with the same level of experience – and so it becomes all about pacenotes. We’re expecting it to be a very rough event with a lot of sand and rocks, but then also quite fast and soft in certain places, making it hard to find the perfect setup. It’s going to be warm for us inside the car, and we’ll have to manage our tyres well. I would love to finish the season on a high. We have done well in terms of performance, but this hasn’t been reflected in our results. It would be really nice to clinch our first victory at the final round of the season.”

 

M-Sport Ford WRT

Grégoire Munster

“This is my first time in Saudi Arabia, and I’m really interested to experience the culture here and discover this brand-new rally. The stages are definitely going to be a real challenge. The terrain is a mix of sandy sections and much rougher patches, with plenty of big rocks lining the roads, so managing punctures and keeping the car in good shape will be crucial.

“It’s going to be a demanding rally, but also one that offers opportunities if you stay smart. We’ll approach it with a solid plan, and hopefully turn it into a strong result to end the season.”

Josh McErlean

“Heading into Saudi Arabia, I’m fully focused on ending my debut Rally1 season on a strong note. Japan was a tough weekend, but we’ve reset quickly and put everything into preparing for this new challenge. With the event being completely new for everyone, it really levels the playing field with no previous data to rely on.

“From what we’ve learned so far, the stages will change character quickly, so it’s the kind of rally where you need to be smart, stay committed, and strike the right balance between caution and pushing on. I’m excited for the challenge and ready to give it everything.”

Mārtiņš Sesks

“I’m excited to be back with M-Sport for the final round of the season, especially for a new event as intriguing as Rally Saudi Arabia. This is another great opportunity to continue the progression we’ve made with the Puma throughout the 2025 season. With the rally being brand-new for all the crews, it puts everyone on equal ground, which is a nice challenge to take on.

“The stages will be challenging, and adapting quickly will be key. I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible, supporting the team, and finishing the season with a positive performance.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah

“I’m incredibly proud to make my Rally1 debut with M-Sport Ford, and to do it here in Saudi Arabia makes the moment even more special. I’ve followed the evolution of the Puma Rally1 closely, and it’s an honour to finally experience this level of performance for myself. Rallying in the region is growing rapidly, and to be part of the first WRC event in Saudi Arabia is a huge privilege. My goal is to enjoy the challenge, learn as much as I can, and represent the fans here in the Middle East with a strong performance.”

 

Oliver Solberg

“What a season we’ve had,” smiled this year’s WRC2 World Rally Champion. “And what a place to end the year… Saudi Arabia. This is really a unique event in the championship, something so different and so exciting. Honestly, I think it’s impossible to predict what’s coming on this event – the roads are incredible, with so many rocks waiting to catch you out.

“It’s an amazing place to come to decide a world championship, and really good to be bringing the WRC back to the Middle East after so long (it’s 14 years since Rally Jordan in 2011). I’m looking forward to meeting lots of fans we haven’t seen before and showing them why ours is the best sport in the world!

“But before we start what’s going to be one the most challenging rounds of the season, Elliott and me want to say thank you and offer some genuine appreciation to every single person in the Printsport team – the best team in WRC2. You guys have been just incredible, you’re all a total pleasure to work with, super-professional and simply the best. Thank you. Kiitos.

“And the same to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing for making the GR Yaris Rally2 the unbelievable car it is. When I tested this car for the first time, it was quite different to what I’d been used to and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I loved it then and I really love it now. Between TOYOTA, Printsport, Elliott and me, I think we made some nice results, a nice title and a really nice team.

“To our amazing friends at Monster Energy – I couldn’t have done this without you. And to all our other partners, what an amazing journey we’ve been on. And now, to the next chapter.

“Like you know, we have signed to join the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team next season; this is my dream, it always has been. Thank you again to everybody for helping me realise my dream. Now, let’s live it together.

“But first, to Saudi Arabia and the adventure that lies in wait in the deserts and mountains of round 14. The aim? One more win. Let’s see…”

 

Summary

This is it then, whether you like it or not the final rally is taking place in Saudi Arabia. This will be a huge challenge for the crews fighting for the championship. Can Elfyn and Scott finally secure their first world title and join Colin and Derek and Richard and Robert as British World Rally Champions?

Their teammates will be working hard to do everything to take the title and perhaps the road position on Thursday’s first full day of stages will be key? Of course, as championship leaders, Elfyn and Scott will open the road.

The action gets underway with shakedown at just after eight tomorrow morning UK time. (Wednesday 26 November 2025)