Top 6 most dramatic WRC title fights

With the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship title race about to reach boiling point, drama and emotion is expected with just three rounds to go. DAZN delves into the history books to pick out the top six most dramatic ends to the pulsating world championship.

6 - 2017 - Expect the Unexpected 

Like Sébastien Loeb and Citroen a decade before, Sébastien Ogier had found his home with Volkswagen - building the team around him, with his thirst for titles. Between 2013 and 2016 Ogier and VW were untouchable - four titles from four years. Then the unimaginable - VW got caught with an emission scandal and cut all motorsport efforts with immediate effect at the end of 2016. Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen were all without a drive. 2017 was an exciting one and perhaps the shuffle was needed after the dominance of VW before. A new set of exciting regulations produced the fastest cars the sport had ever seen to that point, and with all teams starting from zero it was a real merry go-round in the winter of 2016/2017. 

Ogier as the man of the moment had the pick of the teams - the Frenchman chose private, British team M-Sport as his new home for two seasons, a big gamble over the might of Hyundai, Toyota and previous employer Citroen. It all came good from minute one - a Monte Carlo win helped Ogier get off to a good start. By mid-season, the big teams had caught up to the pace of the Fiesta WRC car, and Ogier had to use all his experience and skill to keep others at bay. On M-Sport’s home round in GB, Ogier led a historic moment for M-Sport at the finish line. Teammate Ott Tänak had banked enough points to secure M-Sport the manufacturers title, Elfyn Evans stormed to his first ever WRC win, while Ogier took his fifth title and first drivers title for M-Sport. The finish line scenes were just some of the most emotional we have seen from the French ace. VW was his home, but M-Sport became his family. 

5 - 1995 - McRae Magic changes the world of rallying

It was Subaru's year in 1995. Toyota had been excluded mid-season due to a turbo pipe and boost irregularity, and Ford and Mitsubishi just weren’t at the races. Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae were taking swings at each other all season, trading blows and winning events to put them both clear at the top of the order in the drivers race. Subaru were interested in their first manufacturers title too, and wanted to secure that in the penultimate round in Spain as well as a Spanish winner in Carlos Sainz for maximum publicity in his home country. Fiery Scot Colin McRae had other ideas.

Leading the rally - McRae did not want to relinquish the chance to win in Spain to go to his home patch in the UK with a points lead. McRae defied team orders on the road, but was forced to check into a time control late to give Sainz the win on paper to set up a ‘no holds barred’ title fight. McRae with his built-up frustration and with the might of the home crowd roaring him on - powered his way to the ‘95 title and the first for Britain. McRae would become a household name following this season - with the sport of rallying becoming mainstream in the UK thanks to his efforts.

4 - 2006 - A Citroen Champion from the couch 

Citroen had taken a sabbatical from the WRC at the end of 2005 to focus on the build and development of its C4 model for 2007. To keep everyone sharp, private team Kronos Racing was trusted with the by then ageing Xsara WRC car and then two-time champion Sébastien Loeb. There was still fight in the old car yet, despite Loeb sliding out of the season opener in Monte Carlo. Marcus Grönholm, who himself was a two-time champion had switched from Peugeot to Ford to spearhead their attack. Getting used to the new Focus WRC car, Grönholm won his first Monte, a great way to open the account. But Loeb hit back and looked set for another title until a mountain bike accident left him unable to compete with a broken arm with four rounds to go. Marcus banked the points, and needed to win the final events, heading to the final event in Australia.

He looked like he was about to pull it off, until disaster struck when the Ford driver rolled into the scenery. Loeb was sitting on his couch at home as the Kronos team relayed the news!  

3 - 2009 - A season-long affair 

Sébastien Loeb (Citroen) and Mikko Hirvonen (Ford) went toe-to-toe for the entirety of the 2009 season. Loeb had already become the greatest driver in the sport - having won five, back-to-back titles from 2004 - 2008, with nobody stopping the French steamroller. Not until Mikko Hirvonen stepped up as lead driver at Ford. The young Finn was ready to do battle.

Loeb won five rallies to start the year and it looked like an all too familiar procession, until Hirvonen won four on the trot, stealing a five point lead. Loeb won in Spain to reduce the gap to one point coming to the finale in the UK. Loeb led the rally, but there was nothing between the pair. Hirvonen got the gap down from 30 seconds to 18 on the final day, but on one jump in the Welsh forests, his bonnet popped up limiting his visibility, allowing Loeb to break free, win the rally and his sixth title. Hirvonen sadly would never have a better chance again.

2 - 2001 - Battle of Britain 

Three points separated Tommi Mäkinen and Brits Colin McRae and Richard Burns. The media interest in the UK for the final round was off the charts, with McRae and Burns having to attend media events in London, while also having bodyguards and police escorts - rally mania had hit the country! Mäkinen had won four back-back titles, but his fifth quest ended early on the side of the stage with the suspension collapsed on the Lancer WRC car.

McRae v Burns - what everyone wanted - winner takes all. McRae was leading the rally but on stage four, the Scot would exit the event. McRae clipped the inside of a corner and sent his Ford Focus into a high-speed barrel roll down the route. Burns now just had to finish, he passed the Focus wreckage and later in that stage spun himself with the McRae sighting and nerves of the occasion getting the better of him. The Englishman would have to dig deep and power on as he worked his way up the leaderboard to finish third overall. As Burns crossed the line, he grabbed the hand of co-driver Robert Reid and shouted ‘you’re the best in the world’ - a powerful moment in the sport. 

1 - 1998 - Madness in Margam

Rally GB was typically the final round and had seen plenty of celebration and commiseration scenes over the years. None more so than 1998, arguably the most iconic of finishes to a season!

Tommi Mäkinen (Mitsubishi) was driving for his third straight title, while Carlos Sainz (Toyota) was also vying for his third title - having last won the series in 1992. Just two points split the pair, with the British event to go. Mäkinen on the third stage - a spectator friendly test, ripped the right-rear wheel off his Lancer. The Finn looked like a distant figure - knowing it would take a miracle for a title to be his when haunted by the world's press. 

Sainz had to finish and survive. He was odds on for a podium, and after getting through the majority of the gruelling event, just metres from the flying finish on the final stage of the rally - Margam Park, flames began to lick out from the Toyota Corolla. With an engine fire on their hands, Carlos and co-driver Luis Moya acted quickly to put out the flames - but the Japanese car would not go any further… all in sight of the finish. Cue Moya throwing his helmet through the window and smashing the glass and the emotions and tears struggling to be held back. Mäkinen, who was on his way back to the airport, got a call from his brother saying he was the 1998 champion and to turn around and head back to the event. Incredible scenes!

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