WRC: Ogier beats Tanak to secure fifth WRC victory in Sardegna

Eight-time WRC champion Sebastien Ogier cut his series deficit to championship leader Elfyn Evans from 30 points to 19 by winning the Rally Italia Sardegna. 2019 rally champion Ott Tanak finished second while Kalle Rovanpera completed the podium.

Set in the Italian port city of Olbia, Rally Italia Sardegna was held under some of the most extreme conditions, with soaring temperatures climbing above 30 degrees Celsius and highly technical gravel tracks. Unpredictable hazards such as clouds of blinding dust made this round one of the toughest during the 2025 WRC season.

Over the course of four days, drivers battled through 16 special stages (SS), covering nearly 320 kilometers of punishing terrain. Drivers faced repeated transitions between high-speed stretches lined with dense vegetation and jagged rocks, and loose-surfaced tracks layered with gravel and sand—conditions.

After a fiercely contested battle in the WRC1 class, Toyota driver Sébastien Ogier claimed victory at the Rally Italia Sardegna, edging out Hyundai racer Ott Tänak by just 7.9 seconds.

With this result, Ogier becomes the most successful driver in the event’s history, claiming his fifth career win in Sardinia. This marks his third victory from just four rallies contested this season, further solidifying his status as a top contender for the 2025 championship title.

Two-time rally champion Kalle Rovanperä completed the podium and won both Super Sunday and the powerstage with a mega final stage effort.

Championship leader Elfyn Evans never looked to have the pace of the front-runners, and finished fourth. However, his P4 was still enough to maintain his championship lead, but it’s Ogier who is now his closest challenger, 19 points behind.

Reigning world champion Thierry Neuville has meanwhile fallen 50 points adrift, only managing to score five points in Sardinia.

The next challenge awaits at Round 7, the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, famously known as the “Rally of the Gods.” Set to run from June 26 to 29 around the city of Lamia, the event draws its legacy from ancient Greek mythology and the iconic Parthenon.