The last two years must have tough for Mitsubishi in the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR). 2023 and 2024 saw Toyota take back to back wins while they sat on the sidelines. Last year was particularly cruel for the team, as they lost what could’ve been a sure win due to an engine failure on the second to the last day.
At the same time, the all-new Triton had yet to prove itself on rally stage. While it’s been a capable machine, the overall championship remained out of reach. But after two years of watching its biggest rival in the series take home the trophy, Mitsubishi has finally retaken the crown.
Yes folks, Mitsubishi Ralliart, along with the all-new Triton, is the 2025 AXCR champion. The folks from Ralliart can all breathe a sigh of relief. The redesigned pickup can also hold its head up high now.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
The Fenomeno is the most powerful Lambo ever made, with 1,065hp
Long live the longtails: Meet Gordon Murray’s new Le Mans GTR
As always, the early stages of the rally was a close match between Mitsubishi and Toyota. The first couple of days were led by Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand with the Hilux it fielded for the race. It was tight for a first couple of days, with the top five separated by less than 30 minutes. While it sounds like an eternity in circuit racing, it’s nothing in the world of rallying.
By the third day, Mitsubishi Ralliart had taken the lead, but not by much. Gazoo Racing Thailand was still looming in the rear-view mirror, and the gap between the top two was less than 15 minutes in the remaining stages. One small error from either team could spell disaster or elation.
The final day of the rally was nearly a repeat of last year’s heartbreak for Mitsubishi. The leading Triton encountered water-related issues and rendered it disabled before the start of the final stretches. Thankfully, the crisis was averted, and the duo of Chayapon Yotha and Peerapong Sombutwong gave Mitsubishi its first AXCR win in after two years. It’s also Yotha and Sombutwong’s second win in the series, as they were also the pair that led the Triton to victory back in 2022.
Second place went to Toyota Gazoo Racing Thailand with Mana Pornsiricherd and Kittisak Klinchan with their Hilux. Gazoo Racing Thailand put up a good fight, but Mitsubishi Ralliart simply had more consistent performance. Pornsiricherd and Klinchan were last year’s champions, and it’s safe to say they’ll want that title back from Yotha and Sombutwong.
Meanwhile, Ford came in third thanks to a quiet but consistently strong performance from Bailey Cole and Sinoppong Trairat driving a Ranger Raptor. The pair struggled on the first day, dropping to as low as 26th overall, but managed to claw their way up to the podium spot after eight days. What’s more surprising is that the Ranger Raptor than ran the race was from a lower category from the Triton and Hilux, being more closely related to the road-going version.
The 2025 AXCR season was the redemption arc that Mitsubishi Ralliart has been waiting for. After all the trials, tribulations, and heartache for the team last year, this year’s victory must’ve tasted much sweeter.
