SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- June 1, 2025 -- Nikolay Gryazin has delivered one of the most dramatic victories of the WRC2 season, winning Rally Japan aboard the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale and moving to the top of the drivers' championship standings in the process. The 28-year-old Bulgarian-licensed driver and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov claimed ten stage wins across the event, surviving contact, a puncture, and a nail-biting final battle with Spain's Alejandro Cachón to seal victory by 15.5 seconds on the closing Power Stage. It is the third WRC2 win of the season for the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, and a result that shifts the momentum of the championship picture significantly heading into the second half of the year.
A Victory Built on Experience and Nerve
Gryazin did not have it all his own way from the start. The opening day required a recovery effort before the Lancia crew gradually found their rhythm and began to impose themselves on the rally's narrow, relentlessly technical Japanese stages. The turning point in character came on SS7 Obara 1, a 16.44-kilometre test where Gryazin set the fastest time despite suffering contact and a puncture mid-stage — the kind of response under pressure that separates contenders from champions.
The fight for the top step remained open right to the penultimate stage, with just 2.8 seconds separating Gryazin from Cachón heading into the final Lake Mikawako Power Stage. When Cachón spun on the closing test, Gryazin delivered a decisive push to extend his margin to 15.5 seconds at the flag. It was a victory earned across the full length of the rally, not handed to him at the end.
What the Win Means for the Championship
The Japanese result reshapes the WRC2 standings in a meaningful way. Gryazin now leads the WRC2 Drivers' Championship on 56 points, four clear of a three-way tie behind him involving team-mate Yohan Rossel, his brother Léo Rossel, and Finland's Roope Korhonen. Co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov has also moved to the top of the co-drivers' standings, and Lancia Corse HF maintains its lead in the WRC2 Teams' Championship. For a programme that has been building momentum all season, this is a statement result at exactly the right moment.
Gryazin on the Victory
The Lancia driver described a weekend of sustained pressure and close competition with Cachón, calling the battle between the two crews one of the things that made the win feel particularly meaningful. He spoke about the confidence the car gave him throughout, the precision of the team's adjustments during the event, and what representing a brand with Lancia's rallying heritage means to him personally.
"Winning with Lancia means a lot. This brand has such a legendary history in rallying, and to be part of its return is something special."
He also offered a direct message of thanks to Aleksandrov, the team, their partners, and the supporters who followed them across the Japanese stages, while making clear that the focus now shifts immediately to the next challenge.
The Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale's Growing Record
Three WRC2 victories in a single season is a significant benchmark for any car programme, and the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale has now demonstrated its competitiveness across markedly different rally types and surfaces. Japan's narrow asphalt stages represent one of the most specific challenges on the calendar, and performing at the front here adds important credibility to a car that is also expected to compete on the gravel roads that follow.
Mini FAQ: Gryazin's Rally Japan Win
Q: How many stage wins did Gryazin take at Rally Japan? A: Ten stage wins across the full event.
Q: How close was the final battle for victory? A: Gryazin led by just 2.8 seconds heading into the final stage before Cachón spun, allowing him to win by 15.5 seconds.
Q: Where does Lancia Corse HF stand in the Teams' Championship? A: The team remains at the top of the WRC2 Teams' Championship following the Rally Japan result.
The next chapter comes quickly. The FIA World Rally Championship now heads to Greece for the legendary Acropolis Rally, one of the toughest and most revered gravel events on the calendar. After what Gryazin and Lancia produced in Japan, the momentum behind this team is something their rivals will need to take very seriously.