THE WORLD RALLY GUIDE 1973-2025: THE GUIDE

The World Rally Guide 1973-2025 - THE GUIDE Where Data Meets Destiny From Alpine’s dominance in 1973 to Sébastien Ogier’s ninth world title in 2025 - a season of landmark achievements. From the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, just a stone’s throw from Gap - where Ogier grew up - to the dusty plains of Kenya, every rally, every champion, every special stage is here. This seventh edition of the guide distills 53 years of WRC history into 564 pages and a single definitive volume. Featuring year-by-year results, special stage winners, championship standings, rally plates, and exhaustive driver and manufacturer statistics, THE GUIDE is the ultimate tool for enthusiasts, historians, and professionals alike - all the more so as the 2025 season was, quite literally, a year in which records rained down. The tone was set by Sébastien Ogier from the very first round, when, in front of his home crowd, he claimed his tenth victory at the Rallye Monte-Carlo. By season’s end, the Frenchman had contested 11 rallies, stepped onto the podium ten times, and won six of them. The consistency and intelligence displayed at the wheel of the Toyota GR Yaris WRC ensured that a season initially planned as a part-time campaign paradoxically kept him firmly in the fight for the world title. That title was ultimately decided in an event worthy of a La Fontaine fable. In Saudi Arabia, Sébastien Ogier masterfully alternated between the roles of the Hare and the Tortoise, delivering a flawless demonstration of how relentless consistency can be perfectly combined with outright speed. Adjectives have run out; words themselves seem to fall short. It is difficult to describe the legend of a driver who, alongside Vincent Landais, secures a ninth world title, equalling a record that, until recently, was thought to be forever untouchable. And yet, the story does not end there. In Chile, at his 200th WRC start, Ogier sealed Toyota’s 103rd WRC victory - a result that propelled the Japanese manufacturer to the status of the most successful brand in the history of the championship. All of this came in a season in which Toyota also claimed its fifth consecutive manufacturers’ title, while monopolising the final drivers’ podium. And since we are speaking of records, in Finland Toyota locked out the top five positions, equalling a feat achieved by Lancia 35 years earlier. Coincidence or not, the Italian manufacturer is set to return at the start of the following season - and a comeback to the top category no longer feels like a distant scenario. The “Land of a Thousand Lakes” also delivered a record few could have anticipated. At just 25 years old, Kalle Rovanperä - freshly inducted into the pantheon of the “Flying Finns” after a victory achieved at the highest average speed in history, 129.94 km/h - announced his departure from rallying in favour of circuit racing. Ott Tänak, for his part, also confirmed his retirement at the age of 38, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. On the other hand, the 2025 season also witnessed the stunning victory of Oliver Solberg in Estonia, a result that secured him a seat with the official Toyota GAZOO Racing team for 2026 - a reward befitting the signing of Toyota’s 100th WRC victory. All things considered, the recently concluded season not only reached a total of 14 rounds, but also saw the FIA demonstrate boldness by introducing three new rallies in a single season: the Canary Islands, Paraguay, and Saudi Arabia. Another milestone, if you will. Compiled with passion and precision, this book is more than a database - it is the living memory of the sport. Whether you follow legends such as Ogier, Loeb, Kankkunen, or Mäkinen, or delve into forgotten rallies and surprise victories, every page is a tribute to the drama and detail that define rallying. The numbers tell the story. This is where rally history lives.