Toyota Gazoo asserts dominance, shines in Rally Finland

Toyota Gazoo Racing turned Rally Finland into a masterclass, locking out the top five positions in a dominant home performance. Leading the charge was local hero Kalle Rovanperä, who finally claimed victory in front of home fans after years of near misses.

Rovanperä, with co-driver Jonne Halttunen, took control of the rally from the opening forest stage on Friday and never looked back. Last year’s heartbreak, crashing out of the lead after hitting a rock, was replaced by a weekend of near-perfect execution. The Finnish driver seemed at ease with Toyota’s latest car and tyre package, setting the pace on gravel and widening his lead at every opportunity.

By Sunday morning, Rovanperä held a 36.1-second advantage heading into two runs over the legendary Ouninpohja stage. He didn’t ease off, taking his 10th stage win of the rally and topping both the Power Stage and Super Sunday standings. The result meant maximum points, a full 35, and a place in the record books with the fastest average speed ever recorded in WRC history at 129.9 km/h.

Behind him, Takamoto Katsuta put in one of his finest drives, securing second overall alongside Aaron Johnston. He held off last year’s winners Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais by just 5.9 seconds. Ogier, in turn, narrowly kept Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin behind by three seconds after Evans won the first pass through Ouninpohja. Evans’ fourth-place finish, combined with a strong points haul earlier in the rally, was enough to push him back into the lead of the drivers’ championship by three points over Rovanperä.

Fifth place went to Sami Pajari, who impressed on home soil with one of his strongest Rally1 outings, including three stage wins.

It was the first time in 35 years that a manufacturer filled the top five at a WRC event, matching Lancia’s achievement in Portugal in 1990. Fittingly, Toyota’s deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen was part of that original result as a driver.

The success didn’t stop in the top category. In WRC2, Roope Korhonen claimed his maiden victory in a GR Yaris Rally2, edging out Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala by just 1.1 seconds. Yuki Yamamoto, another graduate of Toyota’s driver development program, finished fifth in class with his best-ever result.

Team chairman Akio Toyoda was quick to congratulate the crews, especially Rovanperä and Halttunen for finally winning their home event, and Katsuta for another strong Finland podium. He also highlighted the collective effort that delivered the sweep, promising to keep building cars that drivers enjoy pushing to the limit.

For Kankkunen, the historic finish brought back memories. “The last time any team managed this was 35 years ago, when I was driving,” he said. “Kalle winning here is huge. It took me 11 years to do it, and he’s managed it much earlier. This really feels like a dream team.”

The drivers shared the same sense of satisfaction. Rovanperä called it “an amazing feeling” and praised the fans for their support over the years. Katsuta said it was special to keep a promise he’d made with Rovanperä to share the podium, while Ogier described it as “an amazing result” for a team based in Finland. Evans, though slightly disappointed with his Power Stage run, still valued the collective achievement. Pajari summed it up simply: “It’s amazing to be part of this result for Toyota.”

With its eighth win in nine rallies this season, Toyota extends its manufacturers’ championship lead to 87 points. Five rallies remain, and after a weekend like this, it’s clear the GR Yaris Rally1 is setting the pace, and everyone else will have to work hard to catch up.