Ogier wins Mexico Rally for 5th time
Frenchman Sebastien Ogier (Citroen C3) on Sunday won for the fifth time in his career the overall victory in the Rally Guanajuato-Mexico, the third on the World rally tour, which advances him to second place in the overall standing, only 4 points from leader Estonian Ott Tanak (Toyota Yaris), who finished second.
Ogier, winner of the last six world championships, made full points in Mexico by winning the race and also winning the closing power stage, which allows him to go home with a booty of 30 points.
In total, the French driver now has 46 World Cup victories after winning for the fifth time in Mexico, where he also won in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018. It is his second win of the season after winning in Monte Carlo.
Ogier won the third rally of the year 30.2 seconds ahead of Tanak, 49.9 seconds ahead of Britain’s Elfyn Evans (Ford Fiesta) and 1:24 minutes ahead of the fourth, the Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20), who lost his second place in the championship standings.
Ogier finished the final stage with just a 27-second lead, which prevented him from relaxing as Tanak and Evans were pushing and fighting for second place. The Estonian got second after setting the best time in two of the last three sections.
“It wasn’t an easy weekend for us, but we got the most points. I felt good from the start of the season, but Sweden was a weekend to forget. In Corsica I have the same goal: to win and get the most points again,” Ogier said after the race.
Mexican Benito Guerra, behind the wheel of a Skoda, delighted his local fans by matching the best position in his history, sixth place in the overall ranking of his country’s rally.
Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala suffered problems with his alternator on Friday afternoon, which left him out of the fight with his Toyota Yaris WRC, but in his 198th rally he fought hard and still finished in seventh place, despite a late scare defect with his radiator.
The FIA World Rally Championship resumes in Corsica, France from Mar. 28 to 31.
