› RaceSeven’s Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) win the WRC2 category in an extremely demanding finale of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship.
› Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov of Škoda Motorsport customer team Toksport WRT become WRC2 Challenger drivers’ and co-drivers’ champions respectively.
› Toksport WRT takes the WRC2 Teams’ title for the fourth time.
› Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 driver Miguel Granados equals his co-driver Marc Martí as WRC Masters Cup champion.
Jeddah (SAU), 29 November 2025 – Big success for Škoda Motorsport customers at Rally Saudi Arabia, last round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC): Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews not only won the WRC2 and the WRC2 Challenger classifications. Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov of 2025 WRC2 Teams’ champion Toksport WRT took the respective titles of the drivers’ and co-drivers’ divisions of the WRC2 Challenger classification. Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 Miguel Granados driver and navigator Marc Martí are the new WRC Masters Cup champions.
The roughly 320 stage kilometres of Rally Saudi Arabia featured fast, open sections in the desert alongside volcanic rock and big pockets of softer sand on mountain roads, creating a wide variety of surfaces. This tough terrain proved especially challenging for tyres, turning the event’s debut as part of the FIA World Rally Championship into what some drivers described as a “lottery”: Punctures were the main talking point throughout the weekend and eventually proved to be the decisive factor across all categories.
Nikolay Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov, overall leaders of the WRC2 Challenger classification before the start, were among the first to encounter trouble. With a first slow puncture (SS 2), the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crew lost nearly a minute and dropped to 15th position in WRC2. The next deflating tyre (SS 7) cost them a further 15.9 seconds. On the plus side, however, they also recorded two fastest WRC2 stage times on Thursday. Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov finished the leg fourth in WRC2. More importantly, they held third place in the WRC2 Challenger classification. With their main competitors, Roope Korhonen/Anssi Viinikka, only one position ahead, the Toksport WRT pairing was already on course to clinch the title.
Without having to think about any championship, Gus Greensmith and co-driver Jonas Andersson took the initiative in WRC2 right after the crews had hit the desert. Sharing a RaceSeven-run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the English-Swedish pairing took the category lead after the second stage and never looked back. In total, they recorded five fastest stage times in WRC2. “Conditions were extremely tough, especially on the second pass of each stage,“ Gus Greensmith explained.
Punctures dominated proceedings also during the second leg on Friday. A deflated tyre eliminated overnight WRC2 Challenger leaders Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Maciej Szczepaniak from the running for category victory. Roope Korhonen/Anssi Viinikka even had to retire due to a mechanical issue. By contrast, Nikolay Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov, as well as Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson, managed to avoid trouble this time. While the RaceSeven crew extended their lead in the WRC2 category, their brand colleagues from Toksport WRT advanced to first place in the WRC2 Challenger classification.
Meanwhile, Robert Virves and co-driver Jakko Viilo had climbed to third position among the WRC2 Challengers. The Estonian Toksport WRT crew, who had started the event with an outsider chance for the category title, experienced their own share of problems. “Another tough day in the desert. We tried to be careful and avoid the rocks. But we still had to change two punctures mid-stage,“ Robert Virves described.
The short final leg on Saturday was less eventful than the previous two days. Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson cruised to WRC2 victory. Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov held on to second position in WRC2 at the same time winning the WRC2 Challenger classification. Only Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo gained another position. Posting five fastest stage times in WRC2 during the event, they reached the finish second in WRC Challenger and third in WRC2. Consequently, the WRC2 podium was occupied solely by Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews. Robert Virves and Jakko Viilo also secured third positions overall respectively in the WRC2 Challenger drivers’ and co-drivers’ final standings*.
Qatari driver Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Italian navigator Giovanni Bernacchini used their extensive experience gained in the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. With a faultless performance, they brought their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 home as fifth in WRC2. Seventh position of the category went to Mexican Alejando Mauro and Spanish co-driver Adrián Pérez, bringing the total of Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews inside the WRC2 top 10 to five.
The WRC2 Teams’ title was celebrated already during the ceremonial start. Because no car of overall second-placed PH Sport was present, even a score of zero points would not have cost Toksport WRT the overall lead. The Škoda Motorsport customer team won the title for the fourth time*.
Mexican Miguel Granados and Spanish co-driver Marc Martí had to retire their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 during the final leg. However, Miguel Granados was crowned drivers’ champion of the WRC Masters Cup. Marc Martí had the co-drivers’ title already in the bag since Rally Chile.
With the last WRC event of 2025 done and dusted, the next season is less than two months away. Rallye Monte-Carlo kicks off the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship from January 22nd to 25th.
Number of the Rally: 49.6
A number, which perfectly characterizes the terrain of Rally Saudi Arabia: 49.6 was the difference in average speed for WRC2 competitors comparing the slowest with the fastest stage. Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) won the 11.33 kilometres long SS4 Khulays with an average of 68.7 kph. By contrast, their Toksport WRT teammates Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo sped through SS 16 Asfan as fastest averaging 118.3 kph. “This is how the Dakar Rally must be,” Nikolay Gryazin grinned, referring to the famous desert rally also held in Saudi Arabia.
Rally Saudi Arabia (SAU), 26-29 November 2025, Result WRC2
1 Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (GBR/SWE), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, 3:32:45.6 hours
2 Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (BUL/KGZ), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +35.4 seconds**
3 Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo (EST/EST), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +3.00.9 minutes
4 Diego Domínguez/Rogelio Peñate (PRY/ESP), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, +14:51.7 minutes
5 Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari/Giovanni Bernacchini (QAT/ITA), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +18:02.3 minutes
6 Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Maciej Szczepaniak (POL/POL), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, +20:11.7 minutes
** winners WRC2 Challenger classification
Final Standings WRC2 Challenger/Drivers*
1 Nikolay Gryazin (BUL), Škoda, 119 points
2 Roope Korhonen (FIN), Toyota, 94 points
3 Robert Virves (EST), Škoda, 92 points
Final Standings WRC2 Challenger/Co-drivers*
1 Konstantin Aleksandrov (KGZ), Škoda, 119 points
2 Anssi Viinikka (FIN), Toyota, 94 points
3 Jakko Viilo (EST), Škoda, 92 points
Final Standings WRC2/Teams*
1 Toksport WRT, Škoda, 215 points
2 PH Sport, Citroën, 178 points
3 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT NG, Toyota, 89 points
4 Sarrazin Motorsport-Iron Lynx, Citroën, 64 points
Final Standings WRC Masters Cup/Drivers*
1 Miguel Granados (MEX), Škoda, 114 points
2 Ugur Soylu (TUR), Škoda, 96 points
3 Georgios Vasilakis (GRC), Ford, 79 points
Final Standings WRC Masters Cup/Co-drivers*
1 Marc Martí (ESP), Škoda, 142 points
2 Allan Harryman (GBR), Ford, 108 points
3 Flavio Zanella (ITA), Škoda, 67 points
* subject to the official confirmation by the FIA
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