Yokohama celebrates victory in the 2025 AXCR rally
In the largest Asian rally marathon Asia Cross Country Rally 2025 (AXCR), as in the legendary "Dakar", the victory at the end of the race is celebrated not only by teams, but also by manufacturers whose tires were installed on their cars, and this time the first place among the tire manufacturers is taken by the Japanese Yokohama. In 2025, the first place was taken by the crew of the Mitsubishi Triton pickup of the Mitsubishi Ralliart team, which was piloted by Chayapon Yota, and the victory was helped by the off-road tires Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003, which previously stood on the cars of the winners of the race in 2022 and 2023.
In 2025, the rally took place entirely in Thailand, and Yota was among the leaders from the very beginning, taking second place after the first two stages and first place on the third, after which, overcoming fierce competition from opponents and temporary difficulties with the car, the crew maintained a stable pace, keeping the lead in the final eighth stage (the fourth and sixth stages were planned to be held near the border with Cambodia, but they were canceled due to safety concerns due to the conflict between the countries). For Mitsubishi Ralliart, this is the first victory in three years since the championship in 2022.
Three crews on Geolandar tires made it to the top five at the end of the race, and the manufacturer emphasizes that they are not only able to provide excellent traction in any off-road conditions, but also have an exceptionally high resource, and, in addition to ACXR, the tires have already "shone" in the most difficult off-road competitions around the world, including in the USA and Mexico.
In 2025, the rally participants started and finished in Pattaya, and the route of more than 2000 km passed through plantations, narrow forest roads and complex mountainous terrain, and, in addition to rocky and sandy surfaces, the drivers also had to overcome sections of mud and huge puddles that formed due to heavy rains.
"Last year's rally was a disappointment for us, as engine problems forced the crew that was leading in the second half of the race to drop out. However, this year we were able to win the overall standings thanks to the increased reliability of the Triton and the cohesive work of the team, which is participating in the race for the fourth time," said Hiroshi Masuoka, director of Mitsubishi Ralliart. "This year, we again chose Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tires for ourselves, which behave very stably, which is necessary for quick and safe overcoming of the route, especially in deep mud and on wet surfaces. Three of our crews faced serious difficulties on rocky terrain, especially in the first half of the competition, but all of them were able to reach the finish line without punctures and without any problems with the tires, so the high efficiency and endurance of Geolandar M/T G003 helped us win the race."