Morizo's persistence paid off again. Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) finally achieved the triple crown in the 2025 World Rally Championship (WRC).
Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team secured the triple crown when Sébastien Ogier clinched his ninth WRC title overall at the 2025 World Rally Championship (World Rally Championship, hereafter WRC), which concluded in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 30 Korea time.
TGR-WRT confirmed victories in all three categories—driver, co-driver and manufacturer—for the 2025 season as the 14th and final round, Rally Saudi Arabia, concluded this season. In other words, it claimed the so-called triple crown.
Akio Toyoda, chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation who also competes in motorsports under the pseudonym "Morizo," said at the Tokyo Auto Salon held in January, "This year I want to achieve the triple crown in the WRC and be congratulated by Korean journalists," revealing his goal. As Morizo aimed, TGR-WRT took all three major WRC titles.
In the 14th round, Thierry Neuville of Hyundai World Rally Team took first place, but the season championships went to Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais of Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT).
Sébastien Ogier's driver title is his ninth in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) overall. It ties the all-time WRC record for the most titles.
In the WRC's first-ever season finale held in Saudi Arabia, Ogier battled for the win with teammates Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä. The rally is composed of mixed surfaces of gravel, sand and asphalt. Sections that transition from desert straights to rough rocky terrain have severe surface changes, requiring careful tire management and adaptability. Drivers also must maintain advanced driving skills and concentration to overcome various disruptive elements that can occur in unfamiliar natural conditions, such as blinding sunlight and sand-driven winds that limit visibility.
TGR-WRT's three drivers were not at the center of the final-round win fight. On stages with heavy wear, the risk of punctures was high, making it difficult to avoid time loss.
Elfyn Evans, who began the 14th-round rally with a 3-point lead over Ogier in the championship standings, lost 1 minute 40 seconds on the first day because of a tire change, and Ogier also lost time in the afternoon session due to tire pressure problems. As a result, Ogier entered the final day leading Evans by 1 point.
Because there were a total of 10 bonus points available on the final day, any situation could become decisive. Ogier posted a time 7.9 seconds faster than Evans, and with rivals retiring, he rose to third overall. Ogier also held his position by 0.8 seconds on "Super Saturday," securing his 10th podium of the season in 11 starts (including six wins).
With this, Ogier joins fellow French driver Sébastien Loeb with nine career titles, achieving the tie four years after Loeb ended full-time competition. This title is Ogier's third with TGR-WRT, and it is co-driver Vincent Landais's first championship.
TGR-WRT has produced the world champion driver six times in the past seven years, and it has claimed the manufacturer, driver and co-driver "triple crown" four times in the past five years. This year, TGR-WRT had already secured the manufacturer title by the time the Central European Rally ended in October.
However, in the 2024 season TGR-WRT lost the driver and co-driver titles to Hyundai World Rally Team.
Hyundai World Rally Team entered the 2025 WRC 14th-round Rally Saudi Arabia with three drivers—Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux—competing in the i20 N Rally1 race car.
Thierry Neuville, relying on his extensive driving experience on various courses, stayed among the leaders throughout the event and moved into first place late in the round to claim victory. In particular, this win marked Neuville's 22nd WRC career victory.
Alongside Neuville's win, Adrien Fourmaux finished second, giving Hyundai World Rally Team a double podium, while Ott Tänak placed 11th.
Thanks to balanced performances from its drivers, Hyundai World Rally Team finished the season with a total of 511 points, placing second overall in the manufacturer category.
The WRC is the world's top-level motorsport competition organized by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), and based on annual results held across a variety of environments—from paved roads to unpaved roads and snowy routes—it determines the manufacturer and driver champions.
The first round of the 2026 WRC, the Rallye Monte-Carlo, is scheduled to be held Jan. 22–25 next year local time.
[OSEN]