Kalle Rovanperä saved his cool to win Central European Rally on Sunday, guiding Toyota Gazoo Racing to a fifth consecutive FIA World Rally Championship producers’ crown and igniting one of many closest drivers’ title battles in fashionable WRC historical past.
The Finn assumed management on Saturday when teammate Sébastien Ogier crashed out in treacherous circumstances. From there, he managed the hole with trademark composure to take victory by 43.7 seconds.
It marked Rovanperä’s third win of the 12 months following triumphs within the Canary Islands and Finland, and Toyota’s ninth producers’ title – surpassing Citroën’s tally of eight and leaving the Japanese marque only one behind record-holder Lancia.
“It’s been nice to be again on Tarmac once more, and I believe the tempo Séb and I had was fairly quick in comparison with the others,” Rovanperä stated. “Large congratulations to everybody within the workshop – clearly, we’re tremendous good as a workforce. I’m hungry for the title now; we elevated our possibilities, it nonetheless won’t be straightforward, however we’ll attempt to proceed.”
Behind him, Elfyn Evans snatched second place from Ott Tänak on the Wolf Energy Stage after a day-long chase. The Welshman benefitted when Tänak had a second on SS17 (Past Borders 2) on the identical bridge which had earlier claimed Thierry Neuville, trimming the hole to 1.1 seconds heading into the finale. Evans then edged forward by 5.6 seconds within the closing kilometers to seal a Toyota one-two.
Ogier’s incident, which occurred when he understeered right into a tree on Saturday’s Keplý stage, proved a turning level each for the rally and the drivers’ championship. The Frenchman had arrived in Passau two factors forward of Evans, however his crash now leaves the Welshman again on prime of the standings with a 13-point buffer.
A most haul of Tremendous Sunday and Wolf Energy Stage factors means Ogier now sits stage with Rovanperä approaching the ultimate two rounds – a part of one of many closest title fights within the WRC’s fashionable period.
Takamoto Katsuta capped off a promising weekend by ending 17.5 seconds behind Tänak in fourth, whereas Adrien Fourmaux accomplished the highest 5 in his i20 N Rally1 regardless of continued struggles with understeer. Rookie Sami Pajari impressed once more in sixth – his fifth consecutive factors end.
Behind them, Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster ensured each M-Sport Ford Pumas reached the end, McErlean equalling his finest profession end in seventh total. Newly topped WRC2 champion Oliver Solberg ended eighth in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, with Czech stars Jan Černý and Filip Mareš rounding out the highest 10.
Additional down the order, Mille Johansson pulled off a sensational last-stage turnaround to change into the 2025 FIA Junior WRC champion – defeating Taylor Gill by simply 1.6sec after a panoramic conclusion to the four-day fixture.
