WRC Sweden: Final stage spin by Mikkelsen hands Ogier victory

Two-time FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) champion Sebastien Ogier’s flying start to the new season continued in Sweden with the lead Volkswagen driver clinching his second successive victory to add to his Monte Carlo triumph.

However, things were far from easy for the 31-year-old who had to claw back over 30 seconds following a crash on Friday. In fact, it was only until after the final power stage that he took the overall lead.

LAST GASP WIN
Ogier’s win came at the expense of VW teammate Andreas Mikkelsen who headed the timesheets by three seconds while approaching the last stage. The Norwegian driver was in hunt for his first WRC victory having mostly driven in the shadows of Ogier for the past two years. But such hopes were dashed when a costly spin demoted him down to third in the final classifications.

Mikkelsen’s late off promoted the Hyundai of Thierry Neuville into a well deserved second place. The Belgian driver led the rally on Saturday, before falling down the order with intercom issues.

HYUNDAI GUNNING FOR VICTORY
Hyundai is keen on overhauling their German rivals and plan to field an all new i20 later this season. And while Volkswagen secured a clear 1-2-3 result at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally, this result will come some way in proving that they are moving in the right direction.

Outside of the podium, the Ford Fiestas of privateers M-Sport finished fourth and sixth with Ott Tanak and Elfyn Evans. Hayden Paddon was sandwiched between the duo in fifth in his Hyundai.

Further back, Kris Meeke finished seventh in the Citroen ahead of Martin Prokop and his customer Ford Fiesta.

The WRC field travels to South America for third round of the season, to be held in the mountainous region of Mexico from March 5-8.

2015 RALLY SWEDEN - RESULTS (TOP 10)

1. Sebastien Ogier (Volkswagen) 2h 55m 30.5s
2. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) +6.4s
3. Andreas Mikkelsen (Volkswagen) +39.8s
4. Ott Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +2m 26.0s
5. Hayden Paddon (Hyundai) +3m 31.5s
6. Elfyn Evans (M-Sport Ford) +3m 53.0s
7. Kris Meeke (Citroen) +4m 05.8s
8. Martin Prokop (Jipocar Czech National Team Ford) +4m 26.0s
9. Yuriy Protasov (M-Sport Ford) +5m 32.2s
10. Mads Ostberg (Citroen) +6m 40.9s