The eight-time champion believes what his current team is doing is just as special as the all-conquering VW outfit
Photography by Toyota & Girardo & Co. Archive
Words by Luke Barry
Sébastien Ogier feels the current achievements of Toyota are as impressive as what Volkswagen achieved in the World Rally Championship.
Volkswagen competed in the WRC between 2013-16 and wasn’t beaten to either a drivers’ or manufacturers’ title in that time, with Ogier winning all four drivers’ championships.
The company’s diesel emissions scandal forced it to suddenly scrap its WRC program, meaning VW never competed against Toyota which rejoined the championship in 2017 after an 18-year hiatus.
VW’s achievements were incredible, winning 43 out of the 52 WRC events it started with the Polo R WRC (82.7%).
Ogier and Volkswagen were rarely anything but first when they worked together
Toyota however is on a record-chasing run of its own, currently standing one victory short of Citroën’s all-time record of 102. It has also won eight of the nine events so far in the 2025 WRC season, and at Rally Finland recorded the first top-five lockout for any manufacturer since Lancia managed it at Rally Portugal in 1990.
Ogier never thought what he and VW achieved could be replicated, but admits what Toyota is currently doing is just as special.
“I think it starts to be many special moments with this team,” Ogier told DirtFish.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have many great times in my career. I thought the Volkswagen time was unbeatable somehow and the statistics were incredible, but actually what we are achieving now with Toyota is… I don’t know, it’s hard to compare, but it’s at least as impressive.
“Being part of this top five lock-up at home here in Jyväskylä, where the team is based, is definitely great and it’s a nice reward for every team member here, working hard every day for that to happen.”
Toyota is on an unbelievable run of success at the moment
Under its current Toyota Gazoo Racing guise, Toyota has won five drivers’ titles and five manufacturers’ titles and 57 rallies from 106 starts (53.7%).
With a dominant 87-point lead in the manufacturers’ championship and three of its drivers locking out the current top-three in the drivers’ race, Toyota’s success doesn’t look to be over any time soon.
Deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen said: “I think I have a dream team! I’m sure we’ll keep seeing good results from all of them until the end of the season.”
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: Sébastien Ogier, Toyota, Volkswagen, WRC, WRC 2025
Publish Date August 12, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/08/dS9dsT2P-OGIER09FIN25tb180-780x520.jpg August 12, 2025
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