Who became the WRC drivers' champion in 2019?

Ott Tänak became the WRC drivers’ champion in 2019.

The Estonian secured his first World Rally Championship title at Rally Catalunya de España, the penultimate round of the season. Driving a Toyota Yaris WRC, Tänak finished second overall and won the Power Stage, collecting enough points to make the championship mathematically secure.

Tänak ended a long period of dominance by Sébastien Ogier and Sébastien Loeb, who together had won every drivers’ title from 2004 through 2018. He finished the season on 263 points, ahead of Thierry Neuville on 227 and Ogier on 217. His title was Toyota’s first drivers’ championship since returning to the WRC as a full manufacturer team.

The drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships went to different teams. Tänak’s Toyota won the drivers’ title, but Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT captured the manufacturers’ championship. Tänak later moved to Hyundai for 2020 before returning to M-Sport Ford and eventually Hyundai again.