Khaberni - Toyota Gazoo Racing Team celebrated a new historic achievement in the Central Europe Rally, taking the top positions with Kalle Rovanperä and his co-driver Joni Halttunen in first place in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 car carrying number 69, followed by Elfyn Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin in second place in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 car carrying number 33.
With this victory, Toyota Motor Corporation secured its fifth consecutive and ninth historical manufacturers' title in the World Rally Championship organized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile; now just one title short of equalling the historical record, reinforcing its relentless pursuit to develop the best technologies and deliver superior performance in motorsports.
On this occasion, Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Gazoo Racing said: "I extend my deepest thanks to all the members of Toyota Gazoo Racing Team, and I appreciate their efforts that have resulted in winning the manufacturers' title for five consecutive years. I also express my profound gratitude to Yuha, the deputy team leader, who constantly supported his colleagues, and I appreciate the drivers and their co-drivers, and the team of engineers and technicians, and all other team members, as well as the fans for their support and encouragement."
He added: "There are two events left this season; one of them is the highly anticipated Rally Japan, for which I have special feelings since our last participation. I see Elfyn, who is striving to fulfill his dream of winning the title; Sébastien, who also pursues the same dream despite participating in the half-season program; and Kalle, who wishes to conclude his final season as a champion, and what I truly wish for them is to enjoy driving, and I am confident in the team's capacity to create an environment that enables drivers to drive comfortably and enjoyably.
The Finnish crew achieved a victory in the challenging asphalt road stages through Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria, marking their eleventh win this season, and further solidifying Toyota's dominance with 11 out of 12 round wins this year. Rovanperä managed to maintain his superiority throughout the race, achieving a strong advance on the last day and clinching the win by a margin of 43.7 seconds. Evans and Martin also performed excellently, surpassing their competitors to secure the second place in the final stage of the rally, with Martin marking his 200th participation in the World Rally Championships, while Evans moved up to the top of the drivers' championship by 13 points.
Toyota has been involved in various motorsport disciplines over the past years, including Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship, and the 24 Hours Nürburgring Endurance Race. Until April 2015, Toyota's participation in these events was managed through separate teams and entities within the company, when Toyota established the "Gazoo Racing" division, aiming to unify all its motorsport activities under one name. Based on Toyota's conviction and motto "We gain experience on the roads; to build better cars", Gazoo Racing emphasizes the role of motorsports as a fundamental cornerstone of the company's commitment to developing the best cars ever. By leveraging years of experience gained under the severe conditions of various motorsports, Gazoo Racing aims to develop cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions that offer everyone the freedom, spirit of adventure, and pleasure of driving.
Toyota Gazoo Racing Team is now looking forward to the thirteenth and penultimate round of the 2025 World Rally Championships, Rally Japan, which will take place during 6-9 November, serving as the team's home rally. This event is featured by its winding asphalt roads in Aichi and Gifu prefectures, near the maintenance area in Toyota City near Nagoya, and includes technical challenges with narrow stages, variable road surfaces, amidst beautiful nature.
For real-time updates on local, regional, and international race results and to follow the competition atmosphere, interested parties can follow the official page on Facebook platforms, Instagram , and YouTube , and sports car enthusiasts can explore the Toyota Gazoo Racing cars lineup at the Toyota Central showroom on Mecca Street .
