TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Gears Up for Chilean Challenge as WRC Title Race Heats Up
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) is set to continue its push for dominance on South American soil as the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) shifts to Rally Chile, which takes place from September 11–14, 2025. Fresh from an impressive one-two finish at the inaugural Rally del Paraguay just a week earlier, the team heads west across the Andes Mountains with momentum firmly on its side.
The Paraguay result further extended Toyota’s advantage in the manufacturers’ standings, where the team now enjoys a commanding 100-point cushion. More intriguingly, the fight for the drivers’ championship is reaching a critical phase, with three TGR-WRT stars separated by a mere nine points at the top of the table. This sets the stage for an intense battle in Chile, a rally that has quickly become a fan favorite since its addition to the WRC calendar.
Evans Leads the Pack, Ogier Reaches a Milestone
Elfyn Evans currently holds a slender seven-point lead after securing second place in Paraguay. Right behind him is Kalle Rovanperä, who won last year’s Rally Chile and has proven particularly strong on its challenging gravel stages. Breathing down their necks is Sébastien Ogier, who claimed victory in Paraguay and trails Evans by only nine points overall.
For Ogier, the Chilean rally will be especially significant as it marks his 200th career WRC start. This rare milestone has been achieved by only one other driver in history—none other than TGR-WRT’s current Team Principal, Jari-Matti Latvala. The occasion adds an extra layer of prestige and motivation for the Frenchman, who is chasing yet another world title.
Five Rally1 Cars and Strong WRC2 Representation
Toyota will once again field five GR YARIS Rally1 cars in Chile. Alongside Evans, Rovanperä, and Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta returns in the fourth factory entry. Rising Finnish talent Sami Pajari will also take part, competing under the TGR-WRT2 banner. For Pajari, Chile is a rally with special memories, as it was here last season where he made only his second start in the top-level Rally1 category.
In the WRC2 division, all eyes will be on Oliver Solberg, who leads the championship and could clinch the title this weekend. Aboard his GR Yaris Rally2 run by Printsport, Solberg needs a fifth victory from seven starts to secure the crown. He won’t be the only Toyota contender in the category, however, as six GR Yaris Rally2 cars are entered in total. Joining Solberg are Jan Solans and Diego Domínguez with Teo Martín Motorsport, Kajetan Kajetanowicz representing Rallylab Technology, Marco Bulacia with Delta Rally, and Alejandro Galanti carrying the flag for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Paraguay.
Linked Rallies and Mechanical Demands
Adding to the challenge, Rally Paraguay and Rally Chile are classified as “linked rallies” under WRC regulations. This means key transmission components—gearboxes and differentials—must be carried over between the two events. To meet this demand, Toyota’s Rally1 cars were stripped down and rebuilt in just three days at Encarnación before embarking on a 2,500-kilometre road journey across the Andes to Concepción, the host city of Rally Chile.
Rally Chile: A Known but Demanding Test
Now entering its fourth edition, Rally Chile is a more familiar battleground for the WRC community compared to Paraguay’s debut event. The rally is based in Concepción, a Pacific port city located around 500 kilometres south of Santiago. The surrounding Biobío region features gravel forest roads that mix fast-flowing stretches with technical, narrow sections. Drivers must also cope with changing surfaces, from smooth tracks to rough, abrasive patches that can be tough on tyres.
The route remains identical to last year’s, offering 306.76 competitive kilometres. Festivities begin on Thursday with shakedown and a ceremonial start in Concepción. Friday features an opening loop of three stages to the southeast, repeated in the afternoon after a service break. Saturday, the rally’s longest day, covers 139.2 kilometres across two loops of three stages south of the Biobío River. Finally, Sunday’s decisive action takes place on a compact format of two repeated stages, with no service interval, ensuring drama until the finish line.
With championship battles tightening and Toyota drivers pushing hard for supremacy, Rally Chile 2025 promises to deliver another thrilling chapter in what has already been an unforgettable WRC season.
