Ogier wins Wales Rally to end season in style

French world champion rally driver 2014 Sebastien Ogier (L) and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia (R) of Volkswagon Motorsport celebrate winning the 2014 Wales GB Rally in the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship in LLandudno, Wales.
(AFP/GEOFF CADDICK)

DEESIDE: France's freshly-crowned world champion Sebastien Ogier rounded off the season in style on Sunday (Nov 16) with back-to-back wins in the Wales Rally GB.

The VW Polo driver, who defended his world rally championship title in Spain last month, saw off Mikko Hirvonen in a Ford Fiesta by almost 40 seconds.

This was Finnish rally star Hirvonen's 193rd and final rally before retirement after a 13 season career. The 34-year-old bows out with 15 wins and 69 podium finishes. He came in fourth in the overall standings, on 126 points, with Ogier champion again on 267 from Jari-Matti Latvala on 218 and Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway on 150.

"I couldn't have planned a better way to end my career," said Hirvonen. "It was a fantastic fight all weekend, one of the most enjoyable of my career. It was an amazing weekend and I'm looking forward to keeping all my memories from the last 13 years and taking them home with me."

In third in Wales, over a minute adrift, came Mikkelson's compatriot Mads Ostberg. This was Ogier's 24th career success and the eighth of the season.

"It's the best way to finish the season and it was my target," said Ogier. "We started flat-out on Friday and made an incredible day - there was a big difference to everyone else."

Latvala, Ogier's Volkswagen teammate, posted the fastest time in the power stage for his ninth stage win in Wales compared to Ogier's four but his hopes of victory were dented when he slithered into a ditch on Saturday.

"My rally changed when Jari-Matti made a mistake and I had control and could ease my pace," said Ogier. "It wasn't the most fun way to drive, but in the slippery conditions I had to do it. It was the best way to get the win," he added.