Sebastien Ogier takes the win down under in the Rally Australia
Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia won 19 Special Stages, bagged the maximum number of points and came within reach of the World Championship title. The two Frenchmen put in the performance of their lives and celebrated their sixth win this season in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). However, a sporting drama unfolded in the very last minute of round ten Down Under. Two of the duo’s competitors had punctures in the last 15 kilometres of the Power Stage, which prevented Ogier/Ingrassia from claiming the title – although the Volkswagen pair didn’t put a foot wrong. In the end, they were just one point short of securing the crown. Ogier/Ingrassia will go into the next round in France 83 points ahead of their closest rival, Thierry Neuville (Ford).
In the second Polo R WRC, Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) notched up important points for Volkswagen in the Manufacturers’ Championship by coming fourth. Andreas Mikkelsen/Paul Nagle (N/IRL) finished the Rally Australia in sixth place overall.
Dominant Down Under – Ogier/Ingrassia unstoppable
22 Special Stages, 19 best times and second place twice – Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia put in their best performance of the season so far in Australia, giving them this season’s most overwhelming victory. Even more impressively, Ogier/Ingrassia were just 1.8 seconds shy of the ideal combination of all best times. The teams faced wide-ranging conditions in Australia: the first day was hallmarked by technical, narrow, winding sections, day two’s Stages passed through more open countryside, and the third day of rallying was all about extremely fast sections through the rainforest.
Drama, drama, drama – title clincher postponed again
The Power Stage in Oz could have decided the World Championship title – but it didn’t. Extra points were awarded to the three fastest teams on the final “Shipmans” Stage with its spectacular watersplash. 15 kilometres before the end of the almost 30-kilometre Stage, events came thick and fast. First of all, a puncture halted Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila’s attempt to collect an extra three points for best time. Then Mikko Hirvonen’s Citroën also got a puncture, which ultimately stopped Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia from sewing up the title. Hirvonen was forced out of second place overall by Thierry Neuville, who now still has a mathematical chance to become World Champion.
Volkswagen leaps forward in the Manufacturers’ Championship
The Rally Australia couldn’t have gone much better for Volkswagen in terms of the WRC Manufacturers’ Championship either – thanks to Ogier’s win and fourth place for Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), who racked up important points in the second Polo R WRC. Despite a disappointing qualifying session, the Finnish pair fought their way up the overall standings bit by bit as the rally progressed. As a result, Volkswagen extended its lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship by 22 points to 48. Latvala/Anttila won one of the Special Stages and finished in the top three a further ten times.
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“What a crazy end to the rally! Of course I’m pleased to have won here in Australia, but it’s pretty disappointing to be on course to win the World Championship title the whole time and then lose it again in the last kilometre. Apart from that, it was a fantastic rally for us Down Under. We won 19 of the 22 Special Stages and collected three points in the Power Stage too. The Polo R WRC worked perfectly throughout the weekend, the team did a great job – but in the end we just weren’t quite lucky enough to make the dream of winning the crown come true today. We’re going to celebrate in style afterwards all the same. And when tomorrow comes, I’ll start looking forward to my home rally and the fans in France. I want to clinch the title there by winning and take my team a big step closer to winning the Manufacturers’ Championship.”
