Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) has claimed a hard-fought second-place finish at the Acropolis Rally Greece, one of the most demanding rounds of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar. The result helps Toyota extend its lead in both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championship standings, keeping the team in strong contention as the season progresses.
Sébastien Ogier, alongside co-driver Vincent Landais, steered the No. 17 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 to the podium after navigating through some of the toughest terrain the championship has to offer. Greece’s infamous rocky roads, soaring summer temperatures exceeding 40°C, and narrow mountain passes provided a stern test for both driver and machine.
Despite starting second on the road—a position often seen as a disadvantage due to loose gravel conditions—Ogier remained competitive from the outset. The opening stages west of Athens presented a brutal combination of loose stone surfaces and jagged bedrock, pushing the GR YARIS Rally1’s durability to the limit.
The Frenchman stayed within striking distance throughout, and on the rally’s final day, he and Landais staged a late charge, clocking the fastest times in both the penultimate stage and the event’s concluding Power Stage. That final push earned them 10 bonus points in addition to the 17 points for second place overall, bringing their total haul for the weekend to 27 points.
The podium finish reinforces TGR-WRT’s commitment to pushing the limits of motorsport performance. The team now enjoys a 65-point lead in the manufacturers’ standings, while Ogier’s performance helps maintain the drivers’ title advantage for Toyota.
Toyota’s long-standing involvement in motorsport spans decades and includes campaigns in Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 Hours. In 2015, these efforts were consolidated under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner to centralise the brand’s motorsport strategy. TGR not only focuses on competition but also on developing new technologies and innovations to improve road car performance—aligned with Toyota’s philosophy: “The roads build the people, and the people build the cars.”
Round 8 of the WRC season heads next to Rally Estonia from July 17–20, returning to the calendar after a one-year hiatus. Known for its high-speed gravel stages, the Estonian event will feature a combination of wide and technical narrow roads with soft, sandy surfaces, based around the university city of Tartu.
With momentum firmly in their favour, Toyota and Sébastien Ogier will look to build on their Greek success and continue their charge for the 2025 WRC titles.
Race Summary
- Car: No. 17 Toyota GR YARIS Rally1
- Crew: Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais
- Result: 2nd place
- Time: 4h 12m 52.9s
