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LONDON, England - Frenchman Sebastien Ogier claimed a thrilling victory in Finland on Saturday (August 3) to strengthen his grip on the 2013 World Rally championship with five rounds remaining.
Volkswagen driver Ogier reached the finish in Jyvaskyla with a 36.6 seconds advantage over Belgian Thierry Neuville to win his fifth rally of the season and move 90 points clear in the standings as he chases his first world title.
In reaching the finish first in his Polo, Ogier became only the fifth non-Nordic driver to win the classic test of driving skill around the lakes and forests of Finland.
"I had a dream about winning here," the Frenchman said. "A lot of points for the championship and victory in Finland make it a perfect weekend."
BATTLE FOR VICTORY
Huge crowds packed the stages in central Finland where four drivers led during the opening seven tests and only 11 seconds covered the top four at the mid-point.
Ogier built a comfortable lead on Friday and was able to drive within himself on the final day when battle raged for second place between Ford Fiesta drivers Neuville and Norwegian Mads Ostberg - the duo trading places through the final stages.
Ostberg span off while avoiding a large rock in the penultimate stage and ended up 21 seconds behind Neuville.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said the Belgian. "We did a great job. Yesterday we lost time with a puncture but otherwise it was a smooth, clean run. Before the rally I couldn't have imagined this result was possible."
Result from the Rally of Finland on Saturday
1 Sebastien Ogier (France) Volkswagen 2hr43min10.4
2 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) Ford +36.6sec
3 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Ford +57.6
4 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Citroen +1min21.6
5 Daniel Sordo (Spain) Citroen +6min08.5
6 Evgeny Novikov (Russia) Ford +8min39.7
7 Jari Ketomaa (Finland) Ford +11min19.2
8 Per-Gunnar Andersson (Sweden) Ford +11min41.5
9 Robert Kubica (Poland) Citroen +12min48.1
10 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) Volkswagen +13min42.0
Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings after the Rally of Finland on Saturday
Drivers’ points
1 Sebastien Ogier (France) Volkswagen Motorsport 181
2 Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland) Volkswagen Motorsport 91
3 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) Qatar World Rally Team 91
4 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 73
5 Daniel Sordo (Spain) Abu Dhabi Citroen Total World Rally Team 69
6 Sebastien Loeb (France) Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 68
7 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team 65
8 Evgeny Novikov (Russia) Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team 39
9 Martin Prokop (Czech Republic) Jipocar Czech National Team 37
10 Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) Qatar World Rally Team 30
11 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) Volkswagen Motorsport II 26
12 Bryan Bouffier (France) Bryan Bouffier 10
13 Juho Haenninen (Finland) Qatar World Rally Team 8
14 Chris Atkinson (Australia) Abu Dhabi Citroen Total World Rally Team 8
15 Elfyn Evans (Britain) Qatar World Rally Team 8
Constructors’ points
1 Volkswagen Motorsport - 251
2 Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team - 196
3 Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team - 112
4 Qatar World Rally Team - 107
5 Jipocar Czech National Team - 39
6 Abu Dhabi Citroen Total World Rally Team - 33
7 Volkswagen Motorsport II - 26
8 Lotos WRC Team - 20
Volkswagen driver Ogier reached the finish in Jyvaskyla with a 36.6 seconds advantage over Belgian Thierry Neuville to win his fifth rally of the season and move 90 points clear in the standings as he chases his first world title.
In reaching the finish first in his Polo, Ogier became only the fifth non-Nordic driver to win the classic test of driving skill around the lakes and forests of Finland.
"I had a dream about winning here," the Frenchman said. "A lot of points for the championship and victory in Finland make it a perfect weekend."
BATTLE FOR VICTORY
Huge crowds packed the stages in central Finland where four drivers led during the opening seven tests and only 11 seconds covered the top four at the mid-point.
Ogier built a comfortable lead on Friday and was able to drive within himself on the final day when battle raged for second place between Ford Fiesta drivers Neuville and Norwegian Mads Ostberg - the duo trading places through the final stages.
Ostberg span off while avoiding a large rock in the penultimate stage and ended up 21 seconds behind Neuville.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said the Belgian. "We did a great job. Yesterday we lost time with a puncture but otherwise it was a smooth, clean run. Before the rally I couldn't have imagined this result was possible."
Result from the Rally of Finland on Saturday
1 Sebastien Ogier (France) Volkswagen 2hr43min10.4
2 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) Ford +36.6sec
3 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Ford +57.6
4 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Citroen +1min21.6
5 Daniel Sordo (Spain) Citroen +6min08.5
6 Evgeny Novikov (Russia) Ford +8min39.7
7 Jari Ketomaa (Finland) Ford +11min19.2
8 Per-Gunnar Andersson (Sweden) Ford +11min41.5
9 Robert Kubica (Poland) Citroen +12min48.1
10 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) Volkswagen +13min42.0
Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings after the Rally of Finland on Saturday
Drivers’ points
1 Sebastien Ogier (France) Volkswagen Motorsport 181
2 Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland) Volkswagen Motorsport 91
3 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) Qatar World Rally Team 91
4 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 73
5 Daniel Sordo (Spain) Abu Dhabi Citroen Total World Rally Team 69
6 Sebastien Loeb (France) Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 68
7 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team 65
8 Evgeny Novikov (Russia) Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team 39
9 Martin Prokop (Czech Republic) Jipocar Czech National Team 37
10 Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) Qatar World Rally Team 30
11 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) Volkswagen Motorsport II 26
12 Bryan Bouffier (France) Bryan Bouffier 10
13 Juho Haenninen (Finland) Qatar World Rally Team 8
14 Chris Atkinson (Australia) Abu Dhabi Citroen Total World Rally Team 8
15 Elfyn Evans (Britain) Qatar World Rally Team 8
Constructors’ points
1 Volkswagen Motorsport - 251
2 Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team - 196
3 Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team - 112
4 Qatar World Rally Team - 107
5 Jipocar Czech National Team - 39
6 Abu Dhabi Citroen Total World Rally Team - 33
7 Volkswagen Motorsport II - 26
8 Lotos WRC Team - 20
