WRC Mexico: Ogier eases to third victory of the season
Volkswagen’s Sebastien Ogier cruised to his third successive victory of the 2015 World Rally Championship (WRC) season at the Rally Mexico on
By Team autoX
Volkswagen’s Sebastien Ogier cruised to his third successive victory of the 2015 World Rally Championship (WRC) season at the Rally Mexico on Sunday.
Coming into the race, the two-time WRC championship downplayed his chances, as he was supposed to start first through the gravel stretches. But an inspired tyre choice gave him the early lead which he duly retained over the course of the four day rally, eventually coming home with a 1 minute 18 seconds margin over the rest of the field.
“I think we can be proud,” Ogier said after his third Mexico triumph “The team have done an amazing job this weekend. It could not have been better. One of the best wins of my career.”
It had looked like Volkswagen were set for another podium lockout until Jari-Matti Latvala hit a bank and ripped a wheel off his Polo WRC car during Saturday’s leg. While the Finn was able to rejoin the rally after a lengthy repair job, he conceded that his title chances were all but over(he came empty handed from the previous rally in Sweden).
Citroen’s Mads Ostberg took full advantage of Latvala’s troubles to take his first podium finish of the season in third. He won three stages in total but missed out on the power stage that grants additional points to the top three finishers.
Meanwhile, Andreas Mikkelsen came home in third to consolidate his second position in the WRC drivers standings. He gained two additional points for finishing runners up in the rally concluding power stage.
Elfyn Evans managed a fourth place result for privateers M-Sport while fifth was the best result Hyundai could manage in the hands of Dani Sordo. The Spaniard returned to the premier rally championship this weekend, having missed the previous round in Sweden after breaking his ribs during a mountain bike accident.
The WRC field heads southwards in Argentina for the fourth round of the season, scheduled to take place between April 23-26.
2015 Rally Mexico - Results(Top 10)
- Sebastien Ogier Volkswagen 4h 19m 13.4s
- Mads Ostberg Citroen +1m 18.8s
- Andreas Mikkelsen Volkswagen +1m 25.1s
- Elfyn Evans M-Sport +3m 40.2s
- Dani Sordo Hyundai +5m 01.8s
- Martin Prokop Jipocar Czech National Team +6m 36.1s M
- Nasser Al-Attiyah Ford Fiesta RRC +14m 52.7s WRC2
- Thierry Neuville Hyundai +22m 43.3s
- 9. Nicolas Fuchs Ford Fiesta R5 +22m 49.0s WRC2
