It was the series that had it all, the finest drivers, prime time TV coverage, wheel to wheel action, and budgets big enough to make even the deepest pockets feel the pinch.
The British Touring Car Championship in the 1990ās had everything going for it, it was flying high and went from national competition to worldwide fame. But it soon became a victim of its own success and imploded on itself. By the end of the decade the writing was on the wall. All the momentum the series built evaporated and it took the BTCC years to fully recover. Never hitting the same heights.
As we welcome the 25th anniversary of the end of the Super Touring era, itās still talked about today as one of the most exciting periods in motorsport history – even if it almost consumed the BTCC in the process.
To understand why this era was so significant, and why the ending was so abrupt, we need to go back to the start.
Touring cars in the late 80ās was dominated by Ford and their Sierra Cosworth RS500ās. Footage of Andy Rouse and Steve Soper hurling their fire-breathing monsters around Brands Hatch at breakneck speeds became stuff of legend. Accompanied by motorsportās finest commentator, Murray Walker, and shown on BBC Grandstand in a highlight package format, the BTCC was indeed popular viewing.
But alas, there was a flaw in the system.
The BTCC field was split into classes, and on rare occasions, slower cars in lower classes would win the outright championship, not the driver finishing first on the road in the fastest car.
A prime example of this was John Cleland (remember that name, itāll be important later), he won the 1989 title, not in a Group A Sierra, but rather, a Vauxhall Astra competing in Group C. For context that would be akin to a Formula Three car winning the Formula One world championship over the likes of McLaren and Red Bull.
For 1990, changes were made, and the 2.0 litre formula was introduced, which would become known as Super Touring. The cars eligible had to have naturally aspirated six cylinder 2.0 litre engines. Another stipulation was that 2,500 of these cars had to be built and manufactured for homologation purposes.
The beauty of the Super Touring era was that the cars you saw race on TV looked very much like the family car sat on your drive way. Instead of futuristic looking race cars, it was Ford Mondeoās and Honda Accords you saw battling it out for victory. The phrase āwin on Sunday, sell on Mondayā became a popular mantra for car dealers around this time.
The move was made to combat escalating costs, and create a more open and even field. The unpopular class system remained in place, reducing to two – A and B. Essentially Class A was for the Sierra RS500ās, while Class B was the genesis of Super Touring. Vauxhall and BMW entered as manufacturers with the Cavalier and the M3 respectively.
Robb Gravett won the championship in a Sierra, but the signs were clear, Super Touring was born.
1991 saw a raft of manufacturers join the series. Vauxhall and BMW remained, and Toyota, Ford, Nissan and Mitsubishi followed. The multi-class system was dropped, instead opting for manufacturer and independent entries which would remain in place for the whole era.
The new rules brought with them the desired effect. Closer action, thrilling races, and the emergence of a host of what would become household names. John Cleland and Will Hoy fought it out for the title, with Hoy coming out on top in his BMW M3 after a thrilling season finale at Silverstone. ā91 also saw the debut of future three time champion Matt Neal as an independent. BMW took the manufacturers crown.
Little did they know at the time, but the BTCC had stumbled upon a golden formula. One which would grow and be as popular as Formula One over the course of the 90ās.
This is the first of a five part article series chronicling the Super Touring era, what made it great, the controversies that ensued, and hopefully an explanation as to why this series and era of the sport is still very much talked about today.
Onto the final day then and with a little under 55kmās over four stages. Two of the M-Sport crews would return as well as Ott and Martin in their Hyundai. They would be looking to set the highest possible pace from third on the road.
First up then was SS13 Laraquete 1 – 18.62 km and Seb set the pace from Elfyn and Kalle. Ott was fourth despite reporting that his engine was overheating. He reported that he was a bit ragged, but clearly something was working! Greg in the Puma was running in eighth overall.
Into SS14 BioBĆo 1 – 8.78 km and Elfyn who was trying to catch his rally leading teammate was fastest from Takamoto and Seb. The gap came down a little and with two stages to go was now a little under six seconds. Ott was eighth fastest after setting the benchmark before all the other crews came through beating his time.
We came then to the final stage, SS16 BioBĆo 2[Power Stage] – 8.78 km and Seb set the pace from Thierry and Elfyn. The Belgian was only three tenths faster than Elfyn as the Welshman who had a larger time gap earlier in the stage and came through the final sectors much faster. It was not quite enough though giving him the third fastest time, whilst Sami and Kalle rounded out the top five.
Seb and Vincent had taken a second victory in a row in Seb’s two-hundredth WRC round. It was also Sebās sixty-sixth win. Also taking a well-deserved victory in WRC2 were Oliver and Elliot and with it the 2025 WRC2 crown. Elliot becomes the first British co-driver to take a WRC crown since Robert Reid in 2001 when the late great Richard Burns took the WRC for Subaru in Wales Rally GB.
Letās take a look at the final finishing positions and hear from the drivers.
āIām very happy to take another win in South America and to also come away with the maximum points this time: I think they are well deserved after the ones we lost because of the weather in Paraguay. To take the lead of the championship with three rallies to go is definitely positive too. Iām also very happy for everybody at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing that we could achieve this record win. Thanks to our Chairman, Akio Toyoda, for the great support that means we can keep pushing the limits for better. We can be very proud of what weāve achieved so far and Iām sure that we can keep adding to these great numbers in the coming rallies.ā
Elfyn Evans
āItās mixed feelings for us at the finish because we always want to win, but the big positive is that after struggling for pace two weeks ago in Paraguay we were able to come here and show good speed. I think we paid a big price for being first on the road on Friday afternoon but otherwise I think weāve done a really solid job. Of course, I would have liked to fight Seb harder over the last day or so, but he is always very strong and tough to beat. Well done to him, as well as the team on a record win for Toyota. The championship is still close and weāre looking forward to the next rallies on asphalt and continuing to give it our best shot.ā
Sami Pajari
āItās been a really positive weekend for us. Weāve had good speed in some other rallies but here I was really trying to fight until the very end. I was on a mission to try and catch Neuville, and we could catch him a little bit but not quite by enough. Still, itās been nice to see that we are able to fight like this. To be fourth on the Power Stage and Super Sunday is also nice to see because everyone is pushing to catch the points. It feels good to be pushing yourself to the limits and there were some really enjoyable moments this weekend. The next rallies are a totally different challenge on asphalt, but weāll try to continue like this.ā
Kalle RovanperƤ
āItās not been a good weekend for us. We needed to get a good result here but unfortunately it didnāt come after what happened on Friday morning. Today we were trying to push hard again and take as many points as we could. It wasnāt going to be easy with our road position and we couldnāt challenge the top times, but I think we did what we could. The championship starts to get more difficult for us now and itās clear that we need to try to get some wins in the next rallies, but weāll keep giving it our best.ā
Takamoto Katsuta
āItās been quite a difficult weekend for us, but at least we could end with something positive today. Both of the stages were new for me, but we were still able to match the pace of the others sometimes: on the first pass of the Power Stage, we were second fastest. As usual on the second pass we had narrower lines to follow and I think it was getting faster with every car, but still our time was not too far away. Iām glad to finish this rally and now I will move on and start preparing for the coming rallies on asphalt which are important to me, especially Rally Japan, and I will try to do my best.ā
Hyundai Motorsport
Adrien Fourmaux
āIām happy to be on the podium after missing out in Paraguay, which was really hard to accept. Overall, I would say it has been two strong rallies in South America for me. We ended Friday in the lead and held it well on Saturday morning, but then the advantage shifted to Toyota. However, we managed to keep a world champion in the same car behind, so I am pleased with that. Of course, there are things we need to improve on the car, but I am confident we will be able to push at the remaining events.ā
2025 FIA World Rally Championship Rally Chile 2025, 11-14 September 2025 Photographer: Romain Thuillier Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Thierry Neuville
āWe survived the day. After three stages, Adrien and I were more or less equal ā the gap was pretty steady, and I couldnāt have done much more. I tried a few different settings today that allowed me to push quite well in some places, but the times just werenāt coming. Even though the Power Stage had high grip and was quite abrasive, I knew my tyres werenāt too bad, so I pushed hard. It was a scary run at times, but it paid off!ā
Ott TƤnak
āIt has been a long and frustrating weekend here in Chile. Friday was hard, but it was going quite well for us until our rally went off track. Since then, itās been a difficult couple of days. The last few rallies have been challenging for us, but we are determined to finish the season strongly. As always, we will go into the final three rallies with full commitment; hopefully, we can finish with some strong results.ā
“Itās been a good weekend overall and I think we showed some strong pace. We pushed from start to finish without making mistakes, and while thereās always room for improvement, I feel that both the team and I have made a real step forward in performance. Itās a positive way to end the gravel events, and now we look ahead to Central European Rally – an event I really enjoy and one Iām looking forward to.”
Josh McErlean
āItās been a challenging weekend, obviously it was a shame to miss out on both Saturdays in Paraguay and now Chile. But we still go to do the recce and write the pacenotes, and we got through Friday and Sunday’s stages, but we still need to work on the pace and performance. In Chile it’s been hard to compete with the boys at the top, and weāve got a lot to take home from the weekend.ā
Alberto Heller
“It was a really good rally for us, and we enjoyed it a lot with the team. We learned a great deal, and with all the fans here in Chile it was an amazing experience – the support on the stages was incredible. We gained some valuable kilometres and learned a lot about driving in this category, which is very different and at such a high level. Of course, it was a shame about what happened on Saturday, but thatās part of motorsport and sometimes these things happen. It was nice to be able to restart on Sunday and continue learning, and overall, itās been a very positive rally for us.”
Oliver Solberg
āWhat can I say?ā smiled Oliver. āThis has been my dream for as long as I can remember. We came so close last year, but that ended with disappointment, to do it like we have this year is so important for me. I said at the start of the year that I wanted the title this season and we really had to do it this time ā the way we have done it is really nice. Winning five rallies from the seven WRC2 rounds we started is something special.
āAnd the same for Monster Energy, HTB Racing, Quadrant, 4F, Autopay, OMP and Bell ā all of our partners are so, so important to us. We couldnāt have done this without all of you!
āThis has been the most amazing year for us, winning Rally Estonia in the [GR Yaris] Rally1 car and now this. Honestly, Iām a little bit lost for words and itās definitely going to take some time for this to sink in.
āBut to bring another world championship ā a fourth one ā home for the Solberg family. That makes me very proud. I guess we still have one more step to make before I can really equal my dad, but tonight we will definitely be celebrating as world champions!ā
Elliot Edmondson
āThis one is definitely going to take a moment to sink in. Iāve been so impressed ā not just on this rally but for the whole season ā with how cool, calm and collected Oliver has been. We knew what we wanted to achieve this year, we knew how close weād come last year, but we had a plan for 2025 and we stuck to it.
āWell, I say we stuck to itā¦ winning Rally Estonia in a Rally1 car wasnāt part of the plan at the start of the season, but weāll definitely take it! Like Oliver said, itās been one very special year ā but we still have more to achieve. I would like to thank him, the whole team and all of my family and friends for the support.ā
Summary
What a drive then from the new leaders of this years world championship. Seb and Vincent had a very good drive to take their fifth victory this year. They did benefit from good road positions to take these wins, but nevertheless it has been quite remarkable.
For Elfyn and Scott though, this for me was an even better drive than their teammates. They opened the road throughout Friday and were even leading at the mid-day service on the first day. Then on Saturdayās first stage they moved up two positions in the first stage to hold third place before taking the lead in the last morning stage. They then continued to set great pace throughout Saturdayās stages finishing second overall at the end of the day. Then Sunday saw them take a stage win, their second of the rally and then finish second overall, securing very good points for their championship challenge. They are now just two points from the championship leaders as the next round moves to asphalt for two rounds.
Finally, Adrien and Alex had a great result taking a well-deserved podium. Theyād lead a rally for the first time on the overnight halt from Friday to Saturdayās stages. Then in the morning stages on Saturday they lost time, but not as badly as their teammates and took a very good result, especially after they were āretiredā following the end of the last rally.
There is a gap now before the next round, the Central European Rally over the weekend of the 16 to 19 of October. The teams will use that time to head back to their bases and prepare for this event.
2025 FIA World Rally Championship for Driversā Standings
After round 11
1
S. Ogier
224
2
E. Evans
222
3
K. RovanperƤ
203
4
O. TƤnak
181
5
T. Neuville
166
6
T. Katsuta
94
7
A. Fourmaux
86
8
S. Pajari
70
9
O. Solberg
60
10
G. Munster
25
2025 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturersā Standings
After round 11
Jose Antonio Rueda [Red Bull KTM AJO] pulled off the kind of move that defines champions, diving up the inside at the final corner in Misano to snatch a dramatic Moto3 victory. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider denied Maximo Quiles [CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar] what looked like a sure win, extending his already commanding lead in the standings as the paddock now heads to the flyaways. For Quiles, it was heartbreak but also a strong second place that reinforces his rapid rise in his rookie season, while Adrian Fernandez [Le0pard Racing] returned to the podium in what is turning out to be a challenging season with a hard-earned third.
Photo Credit: Pirelli & C. S.p.A
The opening laps set the tone for what would become another Moto3 classic. Joel Kelso [Levelup-MTA] and Valentin Perrone [Red Bull KTM Tech3] were locked in combat right from the first corner, David MuƱoz [Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP] battled for the podium places and Jacob Roulstone [Red Bull KTM Tech3] also fought at the front in the opening laps. True to form David MuƱoz pulled off an agressive move early in the race running himself and rookie Valentin Perrone out wide closing the door on both riders podium hopes.
At the front, Rueda capitalised, making his first move for the lead on Lap 7. The Spaniard was instantly on the offensive, showing the confidence of a championship leader. Quiles wasnāt about to let him escape. The Aspar rookie cut through the group, first picking off rivals before turning his attention to Rueda and Kelso. On Lap 10, Quiles launched a bold move to snatch second from the Australian, only for Kelso to strike back immediately. The top six were glued together, Fernandez and Piqueras hanging onto the tail of the fight while Perrone regrouped after his earlier clash.
The closing stages saw the intensity rise with every corner. With five laps left, four ridersāRueda, Quiles, Kelso and Perroneāwere slightly clear, a quartet that seemed destined to decide the podium. Fernandez edged ever closer as Piqueras slipped back, unable to quite bridge the gap when it mattered most. The final two laps delivered the fireworks. Quiles muscled his way into the lead through Turns 12 and 13, Perrone briefly climbed to second, and Rueda found himself shuffled back before regrouping.
Photo Credit: Pirelli & C. S.p.A
It all came down to the last lap. Quiles led across the line with Rueda shadowing him, Perrone still in the mix but under pressure. At Turn 13 Perrone ran wide, ending his hopes of victory. That left Quiles to defend through Turn 14, but Rueda had planned his attack to perfection. Carrying more speed into the final corner, he dived underneath his rookie rival and made the move stick, crossing the line just over a tenth clear to claim one of the most decisive wins of his season.
Behind them, Fernandezās persistence was rewarded with third, denying Kelso by a fraction. Angel Piqueras [Frinsa – MT Helmets – MSI]Ā settled for fifth, while Perrone slipped to sixth, less than a second from glory showing how close this Moto3 battle was. MuƱoz recovered superbly from his early aggressive mistake to finish seventh, ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka [Frinsa – MT Helmets – MSI], rookies Guido Pini [Liqui Moly Dynavold Intact GP] and Alvaro Carpe [Red Bull KTM Ajo], who rounded out the top ten.
Rounding out the points were Jacob Roulstone and Taiyo Furusato [Honda Team Asia] in eleventh and twelth. Just behind them was Dennis Foggia [CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team] and David Almansa [Le0pard racing]. Scott Ogden took the final point in fifteenth.
The second full day then of this southern hemisphere springtime rally and the crews faced 139kmās over six stages which included the longest stage of the event at just a little under 30kmās. Ott and Martin returned to the action and would open the road.
First up then was SS7 PelĆŗn 1 – 15.65 km and the rain which had been falling overnight was still falling. It would really make this first stage super tricky and slippery. Ott would set the pace despite opening the road, with Elfyn going second fastest just 1.4 seconds off the pace of the Estonianās, whilst Kalle was third fastest. Elfyn and Scottās pace brought them up two positions and into third overall as Seb and Sami slipped behind, now holding fourth and fifth respectively. Sadly, we lost two of the M-Sport crews as Josh and Alberto both had mechanical problems with their Pumaās. Greg was still running though, now in eighth place after being passed by Kalle after the Puma slid into a bank.
Onwards then into SS8 Lota 1 – 25.64 km and Ott was again fastest in the stage. There was no rain in this stage, but there were still sections with were damp. Kalle and Seb were second and third fastest. There were some changes on the leaderboard as Elfyn who set the fourth fastest time passed Thierry for second overall as the Belgian was around five seconds slower with the sixth best time. The Welshmanās pace took him and Scott really close to rally leaders Adrien and Alex, just nine tenths of a second now separating first and second positions. Also moving up the top ten were Kalle and Greg who both passed Takamoto as they moved into sixth and seventh respectively.
Now to the final stage of the morning loop and the longest stage of the whole weekend, SS9 MarĆa Las Cruces 1 – 28.31 km. Before the stage started Ott and Martin who were on their way to the start of the stage, then turned around and headed back to the service park. There was no problem with their car, and this was a decision it seemed to protect their car and look to Sundayās stages and the points available. Kalle was fastest from Elfyn and Seb. Elfynās time saw him move into the lead passing Adrien, whilst Seb also moved into second overall. Adrien fell to third and Thierry was now fourth. The two Hyundai crews were not quite able to show the pace on this one.
Into the afternoon stages then, SS10 PelĆŗn 2 – 15.65 km and Seb set the pace again from Elfyn and Thierry. It was an encouraging run from the Belgian crew who hoped that the afternoon would show that they were back on the pace after the struggles in the morning. With Seb setting the pace, he and Vincent halved the gap to Elfyn who remained 2.7 ahead of his teammate in the lead.
Onto the middle stage of the day then, SS11 Lota 2 – 25.64 km and Seb was again fastest from Elfyn and Sami. The Frenchmanās pace took him into the lead as Elfyn was 3.7 seconds slower with the gap now one second between them. The Hyundai crews really struggled on this one, going 7.8 and 10.3 seconds slower than Seb.
Onto the final stage of the day then, SS12 MarĆa Las Cruces 2 – 28.31 km and Seb was again fastest from Elfyn and Adrien who were 5.3 and 8 seconds slower than the leader. Thierry lost a huge 13.6 seconds in this one and was now over 40 seconds back from the lead.
Letās take a look at the top positions and hear from the drivers.
āI can be pleased to be in the lead tonight but not with my whole day. The conditions were not easy this morning and unfortunately I was not in the right rhythm in the first stage. I was just too cautious and lost a lot of time. That was a frustrating start, but we managed to react well and find a good rhythm. Elfyn was very strong in those conditions this morning, but we managed to turn it around in the afternoon. Tomorrow will still be very intense: the fight for the win is very much on and there are a lot of extra points to try and secure too. Every stage will be important, so I will need to be awake and on it from the first one.ā
Elfyn Evans
āItās been a very positive day overall today. We had a really good run this morning in difficult conditions. It rained a lot overnight and during the first stage, and it was there where we were able to make the biggest difference, so I was happy with that. This afternoon the tyre wear wasnāt as bad as expected and I was maybe a bit conservative, especially at the start of the loop. Sebās driven really well and taken some time back, but itās still pretty close and all to play for tomorrow, and Iām looking forward to the fight.ā
Sami Pajari
āThis morning the conditions were surprisingly tricky. Like everyone, we were expecting the rain and the muddy sections, but the tyre wear was also quite high, and I quickly realised that I had to be clever and not just push like crazy everywhere. I donāt think we did too badly, and we were able to catch Thierry a little bit. I was hoping we could have done even more this afternoon, but we do have some new tyres available and will do all we can to try and catch him tomorrow.ā
Kalle RovanperƤ
āIt was pretty good for us this morning when the rain came: in those conditions it was not so bad to be at the front of the pack and we were able to do some good times and catch up quite a lot. But after all, three cars running in front of us dropped out, the afternoon was tough as first car on the road. It was drying up a lot, especially the last stage, and with so much loose gravel we lost a lot of time. Hopefully everyone restarts tomorrow, and we have more cars in front of us and weāll try to get what we can from the final day.ā
Takamoto Katsuta
āIt was a difficult start today with the conditions. The first two stages of the loop were new for me, and we did the recce for them in fog, so it was not easy to trust the pacenotes and we had to accept that we would lose some time there. The last stage of the loop wasnāt so bad, so I knew that the pace was there, and the speed was quite OK in sections this afternoon too. Overall, I canāt be satisfied but the rally is not over yet and Iāll try to make tomorrow a good day.ā
2025 FIA World Rally Championship Round 11, Rally Chile 11 – 14 of September 2025 Photographer: Austral Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Thierry Neuville
āI took a gamble this afternoon by running with one more soft tyre than Adrien, but the conditions were still humid and tricky. We were quicker on the first stage of the afternoon, but he was faster on the second. Ideally, I would have had four hard tyres on the final stage, and I lost a bit of time. Overall, today, I was on the limit and couldnāt have gone much faster. Tomorrow is going to be a close fight with Adrien, and weāre going to enjoy it.ā
Ott TƤnak
āWe returned to service after the first two stages today to save the engine for tomorrow. We gained good data from this morning that will aid in our preparations for Sunday, where we are aiming to score as many points as possible. It is not the position we want to be in, but we will do everything in our power to get the best out of this event and the remaining rallies this season.ā
Oliver Solberg
āThere was quite a lot of rain around in the first stage this morning,ā said Oliver. āIt was quite muddy and dirty in places, but after that the road was drying quickly and we had to look after the tyre. I was maybe taking it a little bit too easy in some places.
āThe middle stage this afternoon, I was a little bit cautious, so we were back pushing harder on the last one ā just to keep the gap. Now the focus is on tomorrow and not taking any major risks. The team, Elliott, everybody has done a fantastic job, and it would be amazing to bring this thing home tomorrow.ā
Sunday
The final day will see the crews tackle 54kmās over four stages. Can Elfyn and Scott pass their teammates and take victory, or will the French crew hold on and take another win? Can the Hyundai crews fight back after a poor Saturday?
The first full day then of round twelve of this season with the crews facing just under 113kmās over six stages. The day dawned bright and dry, but after the week of rain there were damp sections in the stages and some fog as well. How would Elfyn and Scott do was the question of course.
Into SS1 PulperĆa 1 – 19.72 km and Kalle set the pace from Elfyn and Ott. It was a very good stage from the crew in the number 33 Yaris to be only 3.9 from the lead, whilst Ott was a further eight tenths of a second further back. It was not a good stage for Thierry or Seb who both suffered in the stage with a car that was not allowing either of them to drive at their best and they held sixth and seventh respectively. However, there was worse to come for Josh as he suffered a high-speed spin and lost the front bumper including the front splitter.
Next up was SS2 Rere 1 – 13.34 km and Kalle was fastest again from Ott and Adrien. There were some changes in the leaderboard behind Kalle as Elfyn dropped one position to third. Ott had moved past the Welshman and into second overall. Also on the move was Adrien who passed Sami and was now fourth. Greg in his Puma also gained a position, moving into eighth after passing Takamoto.
The final morning stage then, SS3 San Rosendo 1 – 23.32 km and there were more changes as Elfyn moved into the lead after setting a time which could not be beaten from Ott and Seb. Kalle who was leading slid wide on a corner and put one of his rear tyres off the rim. He would lose over a minute and fell to ninth.
After the service break came SS4 PulperĆa 2 – 19.72 km and Sami was fastest from Thierry and Ott. The Estonianās pace saw him move into the lead from Elfyn and Adrien. Thierry also gained a position, passing Seb for fourth position as the changes theyād made to the car meant that they were able to set the pace and helping them climb the standings.
Next up then came SS5 Rere 2 – 13.34 km and Ott also set the fastest time from his teammates Adrien and Thierry. With the pace from the Hyundai crews, they now held the top three positions, whilst Elfyn held fourth as the best of the Toyota crews.
Onto the final stage then, SS6 San Rosendo 2 – 23.32 km and Seb was fastest from Thierry and Sami. Ott sadly retired in the stage after suffering engine issues. With Adrien moving into the lead and Thierry now second, the best placed Toyota crew was now Seb who gained two positions and Sami passed Elfyn, moving into fourth. Greg was the best placed Puma, holding seventh place.
Letās take a look at the top positions and hear from the drivers.
Classification after Day One
1
A. Fourmaux
A. Coria
Hyundai i20 N Rally1
57:48.5
2
T. Neuville
M. Wydaeghe
Hyundai i20 N Rally1
+1.0
3
S. Ogier
V. Landais
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+2.3
4
S. Pajari
M. Salminen
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+11.2
5
E. Evans
S. Martin
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+13.1
6
T. Katsuta
A. Johnston
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+41.0
7
G. Munster
L. Louka
Ford Puma Rally1
+49.8
8
K. RovanperƤ
J. Halttunen
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
+1:05.0
9
O. Solberg
E. Edmondson
Toyota GR Yaris
+2:27.4
10
J. McErlean
E. Treacy
Ford Puma Rally1
+2:35.7
Hyundai Motorsport
Adrien Fourmaux
āIām very pleased to be leading the rally, but itās a shame that Ott had an issue. From our side, we had a consistent day without mistakes. In hindsight I could have pushed more this afternoon, but I was concerned about tyre wear and struggling to finish the loop. Overall, it has been a good day, and itās great to be in first place at the end of Friday for the first time. Weāre expecting rain tonight, so tomorrow morning will be wet and muddy ā a big challenge ahead, but Iām looking forward to it.ā
2025 FIA World Rally Championship Rally Chile 2025, 11-14 September 2025 Photographer: Romain Thuillier Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Thierry Neuville
āIt was a tough day, but we can be pleased with the outcome. This morning was tricky, as we had some issues with the transmission, but we were able to revert to settings we are familiar with. Immediately, the balance was much better, and the road conditions improved as well. All in all, it was a disaster in the morning, but a very good afternoon as we closed in on the lead. We have a chance of a good result here this weekend, but the rally is still long.ā
Ott TƤnak
āThis is difficult to digest. Everything was on track for a strong result, and the car was running well for most of the day. There was no indication that something was wrong, and we tried to carry on when the first signs appeared, but in the end it was terminal. The morning was quite messy, with the gravel not really clearing from the top of the roads, which were also very soft in some sections ā very different to what we normally see here. It is a shame to end the day like this, especially when the championship is very close, but as always, weāll do everything we can to salvage a good result.ā
āWe didnāt make an ideal start this morning. Even after 200 starts, we can still go the wrong way with the setup occasionally and this morning I was missing the feeling and the precision needed for these narrow roads. We knew what we wanted to change in service and things definitely went in the right direction this afternoon, even if the conditions were challenging for the frontrunners. We kept pushing and managed one very good stage at the end which saved the day for us and put us in contention for the lead, so Iām happy with that. Tomorrow could be even more challenging with the rain thatās expected, but weāll try and continue in this positive way.ā
Sami Pajari
āItās been a good day overall. This morning the feeling was not quite there, and I felt I could do better, but with some different conditions in the afternoon and some small fine-tuning with the car, I started to feel that everything is coming together. We managed to take a stage win and to be fourth overall, 11s from the lead, itās a really positive day. I tried to save my tyres in the middle stage of the loop, and I probably could have pushed more, because I still had good grip at the end. Iāll try to do my best again tomorrow, when the stages will be more twisty, and the conditions could be more wet and muddy.ā
Elfyn Evans
āIt was a good start for us this morning. With the moisture in the air and on the road, the conditions were not as bad for us as usual running first on the road, even if there was still some loose gravel in places. The feeling in the car was pretty good after the work weāve done in Paraguay and between rallies, and it was a reasonably clean morning. Then the afternoon was a big struggle with the cleaning being much worse than in the morning. At the same time, I donāt feel that I did a lot wrong and weāre still in touching distance of the lead, knowing that many things can still happen with the weather this weekend.ā
Kalle RovanperƤ
āThis morning started quite well. Iāve never felt so comfortable on these stages, but today the pace was finally there. Weāve made some progress with a combination of the car setup and my driving; I was doing something differently and it was working well. Unfortunately, we went wide in one narrow place, where the braking is always tricky, and lost the rear. It was not a big hit, but enough to push the tyre off the rim and we lost a lot of time. The afternoon was more difficult with more cleaning than the morning. Tomorrow we expect some tricky weather: hopefully if itās wet the cleaning wonāt be too bad, and weāll push to see what we can get.ā
Takamoto Katsuta
āIn the morning I was struggling quite a bit as I was lacking the feeling with the car, and it was not easy to be committed on these fast stages. But we changed quite a lot during the mid-day service, and I felt much better in the afternoon and the times were improving a lot. It was a pity that we lost the time in the morning, but weāre sixth overall with still a long way to go and maybe some tough conditions ahead. I will just keep pushing and trying to improve.ā
Oliver Solberg
āToday has been OK. We kind of knew these stages wouldnāt work quite so well for our car ā tomorrow and Sunday should be better for us. So, to come here in a strong position is good.
āThe morning was quite mixed. We had a half-spin in the first stage, but then in the third one we were able to take some good time out of our rivals. This afternoon the roads have become more abrasive, so weāre really having to focus a little more on looking after the tyres. Because we have a limited supply for the softs, itās going to be about who has enough to come through the rally ā especially if thereās more rain coming tonight.
āIām happy with the position weāre in for the tyres and, of course, itās nice to lead tonight and to take some more time out on the final stage.
āBasically, the priority today was to make no mistakes and thatās the way we have to carry on into tomorrow. We have a bigger prize to think about right now.ā
Saturday
Day two of the event will see a much longer day with 139.20kmās over six stages. What will we see happen?
The second round in a row in South America sees the eleventh round of this years championship. Last time out in Paraguay Seb took victory from Elfyn and Thierry, whilst Ott took fourth.
Elfyn and Scott actually opened up their lead in the championship over Kalle and Jonne, bringing an eight-point lead into this round. Last time out Kalle and his co-driver could have taken victory but for the tyre blowout. They will hope that this time out they can have a clear run. Seb and Vincent are nine points behind the championship leaders and will hope that their good road position will get them an advantage which they can exploit.
At Hyundai Ott and Martin are the closest challengers as they are eighteen points from their former M-Sport teammates, whilst Thierry and Martijn are a further thirty points behind their Estonian teammates.
At M-Sport there will be more learning for Josh and Eoin, Greg and Louis in this round. Greg and Louis had a good result last year taking seventh position, just eight seconds behind Sami and Enni.
Letās take a look at the stages and hear from the drivers.
Weekend at a Glance
Cars take to the stages on Friday, with two loops of PulperĆa (SS1/4, 19.72km), Rere (SS2/5, 13.34km) and San Rosendo (SS3/6, 23.32km)
Saturdayās six stages cover 139.20km of competitive action: PelĆŗn (SS7/10, 15.65km), Lota (SS8/11, 25.64km) and MarĆa las Cruces (SS9/12, 28.31km)
Sunday concludes with two loops of Laraquete (SS13/15, 18.62km) and BioBio (SS14/16, 8.78km).
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Elfyn Evans
āAfter a tough rally we found some good improvements on the final day in Paraguay and the result wasnāt too bad in the end. It means weāre still leading the championship and opening the road on gravel once more in Chile. Letās see how the weather is there: if itās dry we could face the usual challenge on Friday, but if it rains itās not so dissimilar to somewhere like Wales in terms of how muddy and slippery it can get, and then itās not so bad to be first. Either way, the roads are really enjoyable to drive. Fridayās stages are technical with a lot of crests and quite like Finland, while the others are wider and more open, so Iām looking forward to it.ā
Kalle RovanperƤ
āEven if our result in Paraguay was not as good as it could have been, we still took good points from Sunday and the driversā championship remains close. Unlike in Paraguay, we know whatās coming in Chile. The roads are fast and flowing like in Finland, but the surface is quite different with a harder base. Last year, I didnāt feel the most comfortable with that on the Friday stages, but we still managed to do a good rally after that when the conditions changed with rain and fog, and we were able to take the win. Weāll do everything we can again this year and try to score good points.ā
āIt was great to win in Paraguay and stand on the top step of the podium, and we will try to continue the same way in Chile. We havenāt finished off the podium this year, and the plan is to keep it like that as we continue the fight in the championship. Last year was my first time back in Chile since 2019 and we had amazing speed, but we didnāt have a clean weekend to bring it all together. So, weāll definitely be trying to put that right this year. The roads there are enjoyable to drive, and the atmosphere is nice like always when weāre in South America, so Iām looking forward to it.ā
Takamoto Katsuta
āParaguay was a really enjoyable rally, even if the result was not what I wanted, and now Iām really looking forward to going back to Chile. As I wasnāt there last year, there will be some stages that will be new for me, but Iām trying to prepare as well as I can by watching videos from previous years. The surface in Chile is different to what we experienced in Paraguay, so I donāt know how much we can take from one rally to the next, but the stages are very nice and Iām feeling quite confident that we can have a good performance there.ā
Sami Pajari
āIām looking forward to Rally Chile. Like Rally Finland, itās one of the events that I did in the Rally1 car already last year and I enjoyed it a lot. We were quite close to the lead on the first day before the conditions became more tricky and it became more about learning. The roads are nice to drive and quite similar to Finland in places. The feeling and the performance that weāve had in the car in the last few rallies has been really good, and the plan will be to try to carry that on in Chile.ā
Hyundai Motorsport
Ott TƤnak
āChile is all about rallying. The roads are exceptionally cool there ā theyāre flowing and smooth at the same time. You have to be as efficient as possible, and thatās something that comes through your driving style and car setup. Your car balance needs to be adaptable but easy to manage, and your tyre choice is massively dependent on the weather, road conditions and road position. Thereās a lot to learn on each loop, and the weather can be a lottery for each car. Our performance was compromised by punctures and some small issues in Paraguay, but we will make sure thatās back on form in Chile.ā
Thierry Neuville
āWeāve had some good results at Rally Chile in the past and we are looking forward to heading back there. Our experience is invaluable, and weāll be starting the rally in a good road position, so we are hoping to get some decent runs in from the start. We went into Paraguay with a car setup based on Chile, so the car should also feel more comfortable there, particularly with our familiarity with the surface. Itās a very demanding event on our tyres, so we need to make the right calls to get us to the end of the loops.ā
Adrien Fourmaux
āLast year might have been my first entry at Rally Chile, but it quickly became an event I enjoy. The challenges with the road profile and the tyres are exciting, particularly with the differences seen across the weekend. The weather can be tricky; the elevation changes mean we face a lot of fog, and it doesnāt ever stay in the same place. Pacenotes are key for us; we need landmarks to make sure that we stay on track if the weather isnāt on our side. While the result in Paraguay didnāt go our way, our weekend was positive ā we had the pace. If we have that kind of performance again in Chile, weāll be happy.ā
“Chile is an event I know quite well, as it was where I made my first Rally1 start at the top of the WRC. The itinerary is identical to last yearās event, which means we can reuse our pacenotes and focus on building more speed. It wonāt be as rough as Paraguay, and weāre motivated to turn things around after last weekend. Chile is always tough on tyres, so it will be interesting to see how the Hankooks perform here and how that affects the carās behaviour.”
Josh McErlean
āItās great to be going to Chile for the next stop in our South American adventure. The itinerary is the exact same as last yearās event, we will be writing fresh pacenotes as itās our first time there – but we will do our homework and be prepared. Itās a stunning part of the world and Iām looking forward to the challenge and continuing to build momentum on these incredible roads.”
Alberto Heller
āI’m very happy to be able to represent my country in the top category, as part of a tremendous team like M-Sport. Racing in my region and close to my hometown is something very special for me. “In Chile, the motorsport culture has been growing, and I’m sure we’ll have an even better event than in previous editions. “Our country probably has the best roads in the world, and I feel truly privileged to be able to travel them in a Rally1 car.”
Oliver Solberg
āIf I win, I win,ā he smiled.
āItās like that. If I win the race, then the WRC2 title is mine. There are some different calculations for some of my rivals, but this is the main one and this is what we focus on.
āFor me, itās the same as always: I drive my own race and do my own thing. Nothing changes from that side. OK, maybe we donāt go completely flat out all of the time, letās maybe come one step down from the speed we were showing in Paraguay.
āLike we know, this sport is a team effort and to be at this point is a big reflection on how hard everybody at Printsport has worked with us. The Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 is an amazing car and Iām grateful to Toyota and the whole team for what they have done to help us in the fight this year. Now, we have one more battle in the WRC2 title race.ā
āThat was a lot of fun,ā said Oliver. āBut it would be nice if Chile was a little bit more straightforward. We have been in this position (to win for the title) last year and it didnāt quite go our way ā letās hope we can turn that around next week. I love Chile, the rally is a really nice one; the roads are great and the people, the fans are fantastic.
āSince Paraguay, we have been travelling a little bit to the south of South America ā we went down to Punta Arenas, the city most south in Chile. It was super-coolā¦ actually it was freezing, donāt forget, we are still in the winter in this part of the world.
Starting from his maiden pole, David Almansa (Le0pard Racing) made the holeshot stick, but the action exploded behind him. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar) rocketed through from ninth to P4 on the opening lap, while Piqueras slipped down the order to P6. Title leader Rueda immediately served his Long Lap penalty on Lap 3, tumbling from fifth to 15th ā but the #99 was far from done.
By Lap 4, Piqueras had bulldozed his way up to third, with Rueda already slicing back into the top 10. The lead group was a freight train, Almansa still heading the charge with Quiles, MuƱoz, and Piqueras all in close quarters. On Lap 9, Hungarian GP winner Quiles surged into P1, only to be quickly countered by Almansa and Piqueras. Disaster struck for Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) who suffered yet another technical issue forcing him out of the race. Kiwi Cormac Buchanan (Denssi Racing – BOE) also crashed out on lap 9.
The relentless shuffle continued until Lap 11, when Rueda finally hit the front for the first time. He tried to break clear with four laps to go, opening half a second over the pack, but the chasers refused to let him escape. Almansa, Piqueras, and Furusato dragged him back into range.
Photo Credit: Pirelli Press Office
The final lap was pure chaos. Piqueras made a bold lunge at Turn 1 to seize the lead. Rueda slipped back to fourth behind Furusato and Almansa, but the championship leader wasnāt finished ā throwing his KTM up the inside at the last corner to snatch second. Piqueras, however, held firm for a crucial victory that could shape the title battle.
Behind them, Furusato sealed a deserved podium in third, while Almansa and teammate AdriĆ”n FernĆ”ndez (Le0pard Racing) rounded out the top five, a good result for the pair of Hondas however Furusato in P3 wasn’t enough to keep Honda in the constructors fight with KTM taking home the constructors championship this weekend. Guido Pini claimed sixth, ahead of Joel Kelso (Levelup MTA) who was beaten up in the early laps and unable to recover, David MuƱoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Ryusei Yamanaka (Frinsa – MT Helmets – MSI) who had an impressive charge through the field after a back of the grid (collected for for slow riding in qualifying – 2nd offence) picked up nineth place and ValentĆn Perrone brought it home in tenth place.
Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) lead the next group of riders across the line in eleventh place, despite the impressive start Quiles crossed the line in twelfth place ahead of fellow rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) and Marcos Uriarte rounded out the point scoring places with 14th and 15th respectfully.
After a dominant display in qualifying and Race 1, Toprak Razgatlioglu unsurprisingly rode off into the distance on the Sunday of the French Round to take a 4th consecutive hat-trick and 12th win in a row in 2025 ahead of a demoralised Nicolo Bulega.
Tissot Superpole Race
Bulega very briefly led the Sunday morning 10-lap race in Magny-Cours before Razgatlioglu secured the win with a clinical move at the tight hairpin halfway round the opening lap to ease home for another victory.Ā A mistake for Bulega at turn 15 at the end of lap 3 left the Italian behind the Lowes’ brothers, which sealed the deal for any hopes of a battle for the race win.
Alex Lowes once again came home in 3rd despite running behind his brother Sam in the early stages.Ā Sam was cycled back to 4th when Bulega came past him and Alex a lap and a half after his mistake, but the MarcVDS rider then crashed out with 4 laps to go with much bigger consequences than yesterday to leave him stranded down the grid for Race 2.
The best-of-the-rest fight for 4th place became a battle between Danilo Petrucci and Michael van der Mark.Ā Clearly van der Mark’s contusions from yesterday’s crashes were not slowing him down as he came home a solid 5th behind Petrucci.Ā Andrea Iannone meanwhile just held off Jonathan Rea, Axel Bassani and Xavi Vierge for 6th.
Rea was fortunate to even make it to the finish after he had to take avoiding action at the hairpin at one point which led to Alvaro Bautista slamming into the back of him.Ā Bautista ended up on the floor and – like Sam Lowes – one of the quick riders stuck outside of the top 3 rows for Race 2 in the afternoon.
Tissot Superpole Race Results
Image Credit: WorldSBK
Race 2
Razgatlioglu defended his lead at the start of Race 2, Bulega held onto 2nd, and Alex Lowes settled into 3rd to seal the exact same podium for all three events this weekend in Magny Cours.Ā It was another dominant display from the BMW rider who sealed a 12th consecutive victory and leaves him with a 39-point lead in the championship with just 3 rounds (and 12 races) to go in 2025.
The action at the start of Race 2 was provided by a fast-starting Rea who shot up to 4th place from 7th on the grid.Ā Bautista was also riding like a man possessed from a lowly 14th on the grid after another pair of unfortunate crashes in the previous 2 races.
By the end of the race Bautista was so rapid that he almost caught Alex Lowes for the final podium spot.Ā It was thrilling to watch the Ducati rider scythe away through the order, particularly against a rejuvenated Michael van der Mark who came home a solid 5th place behind Bautista.
Alex Lowes had been battling Danilo Petrucci for 4th initially before the Barni Ducati rider lost his pace, while Rea also fell into 6th ahead of Vierge – who himself had initially squabbled with van der Mark.Ā Rea had challenged Alex Lowes for 3rd for as long as he could, but the Bimota, factory BMW and factory Ducati’s were just a little too quick for the retiring legend to stay in the podium battle for long.
Behind Petrucci in 7th came Locatelli, Aegerter and Gerloff rounding out the top 10, with only 2 seconds separating those 4.Ā Tarran MacKenzie and substitute HRC rider Sergio Garcia rounded out the points scorers after solid rides to 14th and 15th places respectively.
Razgatlioglu was 8 seconds clear of Bulega at the flag and enjoyed a symbolic celebration at the same corner where he crashed at high-speed last year which ruled him out of action for that particular round.Ā With a 39-point gap at the top of the standings and Bulega seemingly unable to thwart his BMW nemesis like he could do earlier in the campaign, Razgatlioglu is well on his way to a 3rd WorldSBK title ahead of his much-awaited MotoGP move in 2026.
Toprak Razgatliolu became the first rider since Troy Corser to win at the same circuit on three different makes of bike in the Superbike World Championship in the opening race of the 2025 French Round, which saw another hectic lap 1 mix up the field.
From pole position sealed with an all-time lap record around the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Razgatlioglu led the field and never looked back at a track that he has already notched up wins on for Kawasaki and Yamaha.Ā Of course, had it not been for a nightmare crash last season here at Magny-Cours then the record of winning for 3 manufacturers would almost certainly already have been his and Corser’s to share this time last year.
The man who leapt up to 2nd was Alex Lowes on the Bimota machine, while Nicolo Bulega fell back to 4th also behind Sam Lowes.Ā Predictably, Bulega would be back into 2nd place after a couple of laps and as usual Razgatlioglu was already comfortably clear by this point while Alex Lowes settled into the final podium spot.
At turn 9 on what appeared to be quite a clean opening lap of the race, Yari Montella came into the right-hand corner and eliminated both Andrea Iannone and Jonathan Rea.Ā Rea was able to continue but later retired, while later in the same corner both Xavi Vierge and Alvaro Bautista bizarrely went down themselves (and were at least able to rejoin) to leave 5 bikes on the floor at one point.
Michael van der Mark avoided the chaos and was finally showing some strong race pace in his morbid 2025 campaign but 2 crashes left him with injured with contusions, just like Iannone from the incident on lap 1.Ā Garrett Gerloff also slid out at high speed by himself as the race reached the closing stages while Tarran MacKenzie was also forced to retire early on.
The 15 riders who scored world championship points were the only 15 to have a clean race.Ā That is except for Sam Lowes, who threw away 4th place with a clumsy crash at turn 13 late on but he was at least able to bring the bike back home in 9th place ahead of an unlikely duo of Bahattin Sofuoglu in 10th and Iker Lecuona replacement rider Sergio Garcia in 11th.
The attrition meant that Andrea Locatelli was able to come from the pitlane after a crash in quaifying to finish a remarkable 5th place.Ā Nonetheless, it was Razgatlioglu up front who stole the headlines with a dominant victory that left no one in doubt who was the favourite for Sunday’s pair of races with a 4th consecutive hattrick/treble looking ominous.
Onto the final day then with 79kmās and four stages. The M-Sport crews and Takamoto returned to the action. Greg would open the road throughout the day. Now the rumoured rain arrived in time to affect the first stage as well which would make things very interesting.
First up then was SS16 Bella Vista 1 – 21.25 km and Seb was fastest from Ott and Thierry. The early crews such as Takamoto, Josh and also Greg all had moments in the stage in which they went off the road. Ottās pace also meant that heād moved up one position into third overall pushing Elfyn down to fourth, but the gap remained very small, just 2.2 seconds between them.
Next up was the run through SS17 MisiĆ³n JesuĆtica Trinidad 1 – 18.50 km and Thierry was fastest from Adrien and Elfyn. This stage was unaffected by any rain. The gap between Elfyn and Ott reduced a further four tenths, the gap just 1.8 seconds now. Greg had a spin in the stage damaging the front left slightly but managed to complete without any problems. It was super tricky for those early crews.
Onto the penultimate stage then, SS18 Bella Vista 2 – 21.25 km and the rain had cleared and most of the stage had dried. Kalle was fastest from Seb and Elfyn. Ott fell down two positions from third to fifth as Elfyn retook third place and Thierry moved into fourth after the Estonian suffered a puncture. Adrien who was in second place coming into the stage had a problem in the water crossing where the car took in water into the engine bay. This caused the engine to stutter for a bit. He lost quite a bit of time and emerged from the stage just 3.3 seconds clear of Elfyn.
We came therefore to the final stage, SS19 MisiĆ³n JesuĆtica Trinidad 2[Power Stage] – 18.50 km and the rain had moved to this stage incredibly changing the conditions for the final runners. Thierry would win the stage from Kalle and Ott, whilst Elfyn and Takamoto would round out the points scorers from the power stage. Seb and Vincent took the rally victory, but there were no stage end celebrations as the Frenchman was clearly unhappy with the conditions in the stage as their run was the most affected by the heavy rain and being over ten seconds behind Thierry with the tenth fastest time. There were some changes in the overall standings as Elfyn moved into second overall and Thierry into third after Adrien was only ninth fastest in the stage. There would be a further surprise as later the team retired Adrien from the rally allowing Ott to move up into fourth place. The reason being given was a gearbox problem.
Letās take a look at the final finishing positions and hear from the drivers.
Final Overall Classification ā Rally del Paraguay
āI think we can be proud of our performance this weekend. After the time we lost on Friday, we never gave up and we kept pushing and enjoyed it a lot. On the final day the rain was changing the conditions very quickly. We were doing a good loop, increasing the lead and trying to take the maximum points. Unfortunately, I got the rain in the Power Stage, and we lost a lot of time and quite a few points from that, but luckily we had enough in hand to win and thatās the most important thing. Iām very happy to finally win in South America ā which has never been my luckiest ground ā and be on the top step in front of such amazing fans.ā
Elfyn Evans
āThis has been a tough rally ā a lot more difficult than everybody anticipated coming here ā so itās nice to have this result at the end. We needed to find some improvements for today and we managed to do so. I was happy and lucky to get away with a moment in the first stage this morning, but then our task wasnāt helped by the rain in the Power Stage. In the end though we managed to not only hold onto our position but also gain second place, so itās not been too bad.ā
Kalle RovanperƤ
āToday we tried to get what we could. The conditions were tricky and changing for every driver, and I was lacking a bit of feeling. The rain coming after weād driven the Power Stage probably helped us and in the end we got eight of the 10 points available on Sunday, so not bad. Itās disappointing what happened yesterday, but the championship is still close, and weāll go again in Chile. A massive thanks to all the fans in Paraguay: the atmosphere has been great.ā
Sami Pajari
āThank you to the team who did a really good job this weekend. For me itās always exciting to have a new event and we were able to have some proper pace on Friday when we were holding third position, which was really nice to see. Itās unfortunate what happened later, but we didnāt give up and tried to have good pace and enjoy the challenge. We could see we had strong performance here, so Iām looking forward to the next event.ā
Takamoto Katsuta
āItās been a tough weekend for me after what happened on Friday. Itās disappointing because I think we had good pace, and after that it wasnāt easy because we had to open the road yesterday. Thereās been a lot to learn about this rally and weāve been trying a few things with the car setup. Today with the rain it wasnāt easy to know how the conditions would be, but it went fine. Even if the result was not what I wanted, this rally has been very nice and the fans have been nice, so Iāve enjoyed it a lot.ā
Hyundai Motorsport
Thierry Neuville
āThis weekend is the perfect example of fighting until the end to get rewarded. Overall, we expected to have a bit more pace, but we just didnāt have it here in Paraguay. The profile of the rally wasnāt too hard to manage, but the grip levels were constantly changing. We took the second-highest amount of points this weekend, so we can be happy with that. Weāre looking forward to Chile, and hopefully the pace is there for us.ā
2025 FIA World Rally Championship Round 10, Rally Paraguay, 29-31 August 2025 Photographer: Vincent Thuillier Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH
Ott TƤnak
āWe really struggled with our performance this weekend. We were not close to where we wanted to be, and it was a tricky weekend inside the car with the punctures we experienced. We were really struggling to make the setup work, even with tweaks and changes we were making. Itās hard to miss out on second in the way we did. Nothing has changed much this weekend in terms of the championship, itās still quite close, so hopefully Chile will suit us better and we can bounce back.ā
Adrien Fourmaux
āWeāre really disappointed with the end result after such a good weekend for us. We were in second position for nearly the whole rally – and even leading on Friday ā managing our way through punctures and other issues, but today just didnāt go our way. With the heavy rain in the Power Stage, it was impossible for us to do any better. Iām happy with our performance in Paraguay, but we just didnāt get the result we deserved.ā
M-Sport Ford WRT
Josh McErlean
“Friday was a good start for us, and I felt like we were building confidence with the stages and the conditions and to be seventh at the end of the day was encouraging. Saturday was frustrating because the pace was there – we were right with the cars around us – but unfortunately our day ended early.
āThe grip was very inconsistent throughout Sunday, but we still managed to get some positive mileage and good feedback from the car. For sure, the end result isnāt what we wanted, but itās all useful experience and I think we showed some potential.”
āDifficult event for sure, and not what we expected from our first time in Paraguay, but we didnāt give up. We managed to fix the damage we picked up on the first stage, and we continued even with a double puncture and no rear brakes, and in the afternoon no aero.
āThe guys at M-Sport also made a good team effort to give us the perfect car to start again on Sunday and get the important mileage. We had a trouble-free Sunday with a bit of rain which makes it particularly slippery in Paraguay, so it was important to experience that as well. Now it’s time to get back in the rhythm before Chile.ā
Oliver Solberg
āSaturday was the perfect day,ā said Oliver. āWe won every stage.ā āWe all have the same kind of power and the same kind of speed in the straights,ā added Oliver.
āI knew it would be tricky to make that time back, but me and Elliott kept pushing ā pushing in a way where we could look after the tyres and try to make sure we were not damaging the car or taking too many risks.
āIt worked. Today (Sunday) we were a little bit more on the sensible side. We needed this result. Dropping points in Finland was really frustrating and we knew we had to get this championship back on track with a win and big points here in Paraguay. Iām really proud of the way we did that. Punctures are part of the game and they hurt you when they come ā but for us to bounce back like we did was really cool.
āAnother thing thatās really cool is Paraguayā¦ I love this place. I know I said this a few times already, but the people, the fans here have been so amazing! I canāt wait to come back again next year. And a very big congratulations to the organisers, they did a fantastic job for their first time here.
āPeople were asking me: how good is this win? Honestly, to make a minute back ā like we did in Sardinia earlier this year ā is special. This canāt be better than winning in Estonia, but maybe itās equal to that result. Thank you so much to the whole team at Printsport and to everybody at Toyota for making this awesome Yaris!
āIt was Elliottās birthday on Friday. He told me the best present I could give to him was a win on Sundayā¦ happy birthday, mate!ā
Summary
Letās take a look then at the teams and drivers. Toyota once again were right at the front of the field after Adrien was passed by first Kalle and then Seb after the problems he faced. Incredibly the only crew not to have a tyre failure was Elfyn and Scott and this drive delivered a brilliant second place and a small increase in the points gap over their teammates.
At Hyundai they did have moments of pace and took stage wins along the way. Two of their crews led the rally, but ultimately they didnāt take victory due to a number of factors including tyre failures. It was surprise to see the team retire Adrien from the rally, but perhaps they were looking to assist Ott score a few more points.
Finally at M-Sport it was a learning time again for their young crews. The problems they faced both on the stages and with their cars will have helped them learn a huge amount. Letās see how things go in Chile next time out.
Next up is Rally Chile which is from the 11 to 14 of September.
2025 FIA World Rally Championship for Driversā Standings
After round 10
1
E. Evans
198
2
K. RovanperƤ
191
3
S. Ogier
189
4
O. TƤnak
180
5
T. Neuville
150
6
T. Katsuta
88
7
A. Fourmaux
71
8
O. Solberg
58
9
S. Pajari
56
10
G. Munster
21
2025 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturersā Standings
After round 10
