Rally driver Sebastien Ogier, in a Volkswagen Polo R WRC, led at the end of the first day of the Mexico Rally. The title-holder was 26 seconds ahead of Norway’s Mads Ostberg in a Citroen DS3. Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen Polo R WRC), in the championship leader, finished 42.5s behind in third.
As first on the road, Jari-Matti Latvala endured the worst of the dirty conditions this morning. But he coped well and climbed from fifth to third, 42.5sec behind his Volkswagen colleague.
Mikko Hirvonen retired his Ford Fiesta RS from third with alternator failure this afternoon. Kris Meeke, who should have inherited Hirvonen’s place, went out on the same stage after breaking a suspension arm when his DS3 stepped out of line over a crest and hit a rock.
Robert Kubica took advantage of the carnage to climb to fourth on his Mexico debut but he rolled his Fiesta RS at the León race track super special. Early this morning Andreas Mikkelsen retired from second when he hit a rock and broke his Polo R’s suspension.
