Kankkunen hails ‘incredible season’ as Toyota celebrates WRC title
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 24.10.25. | 18:50
Attention now shifts to the drivers’ championship, where just 13 points separate the Toyota trio of Evans, Rovanperä, and Ogier with two rounds remaining
Toyota sealed its fifth consecutive WRC manufacturers’ crown at Central European Rally, a triumph that deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen described as “an incredible season” for the Japanese marque.
Rovanperä’s third victory of the year, coupled with the efforts of Elfyn Evans and Sébastien Ogier's effort, mathematically secured the title with two rounds to spare, and underlined Toyota’s dominance across all surfaces in 2025.
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“It is been an incredible season for us,” said Kankkunen. “I do not even know where it came from, but especially on asphalt, we have been so much stronger than Hyundai all year. On gravel, it was a bit closer, but still, everything worked. The drivers did an excellent job, and the whole team as well. I am really pleased with the work.”
The four-time world champion has made an immediate impact in his first season in senior management, helping guide the team to 11 wins from 12 rallies so far.
“You might not see something like this again for many decades, maybe never,” he added. “With two rallies still to go, we could even win both. It’s history in the making.”
Despite the statistics, Kankkunen insisted Toyota’s success was built on unity rather than simplicity. “It’s never easy,” he said. “But everything has clicked, everyone in the team has been pushing hard, from the cooks to the top. It is been working really well across the board.”
Attention now shifts to the drivers’ championship, where just 13 points separate the Toyota trio of Evans, Rovanperä, and Ogier with two rounds remaining.
“The guys are not fighting against each other in a bad way,” Kankkunen explained. “There is a great atmosphere. I have told them they are free to race each other as fast as they can, and they have all said, ‘Let the clock decide who’s the best this year'.
For Rovanperä, Sunday’s victory reaffirmed his authority on asphalt - and his growing confidence as the title race enters its final stretch.
“It is just where I feel good anyway,” he said. “The driving style needed, especially with this tyre, really suits me. Since last year, I’ve been doing more work in this area, and now, understanding it all better here, it’s more enjoyable. You can push harder, and that makes it fun.”
The Finn expects a different challenge in Japan, where the narrow, technical mountain roads contrast sharply with the wider asphalt of Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
“It depends a lot on the conditions,” he admitted. “Japan is a tricky one, a bit too technical for my taste. The bigger, two-lane roads are awesome, but we don’t get enough of them.”
Rovanperä will head to Toyota’s home round 13 points behind championship leader Evans, but wary of unpredictable weather.
“Normally it is nice to open the road on asphalt,” he said, “but when leaves start falling and it rains, it gets tricky. The first cars can have an advantage, so we’ll see.”
