Sebastien Ogier took a dominant win on Rally Mexico ahead of Volkswagen team-mate, Jari-Matti Latvala and Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville. Ogier led throughout much of the event, the third round in the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship. Ogier then continued to push on Saturday, winning all five ‘proper’ tests to stretch his advantage to just over a minute. It meant the final day was all about getting to the finish and Ogier didn’t disappoint, although he didn’t ease up, winning SS19 and the event ending Power Stage. He eventually took the spoils by 1 minute 12.6 seconds, a result that puts him back on top in the 2014 WRC Drivers’ Championship, albeit just 3 points up on team-mate, Jari-Matti Latvala.
Thierry Neuville completed the top three and took the very first rostrum result for the new Hyundai WRC team. The Belgian’s i20 WRC was by no means perfect, but Neuville kept his head and benefitted as those ahead hit trouble: “A big thanks to the team. There are a lot of things we still need to work on, but this bodes so well for the future,” Neuville remarked.
Elfyn Evans secured his best-ever WRC result and was fourth in his M-Sport World Rally Team-run Fiesta RS WRC. The Welshman posted 20 top-ten times in total from a possible 22: “It’s been a great experience [here]. We can now move forward and I am looking forward to that,” he noted.
Behind, Martin Prokop was fifth in his privately entered Fiesta RS WRC, and after DNFs in Monte Carlo and Sweden, the Czech driver was delighted to open his account – and open it in style.
Rally Mexico: Overall standings after Stage 22 (Top 20):
1. Sebastien Ogier Volkswagen Motorsport Polo R WRC 4hours 27m 41.8s M
2. Jari-Matti Latvala Volkswagen Motorsport Polo R WRC +01m 12.6s M
3. Thierry Neuville Hyundai Motorsport i20 WRC +05m 28.6s M
4. Elfyn Evans M-Sport WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC +06m 49.3s M
5. Martin Prokop Jipocar Czech National Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC +09m 54.4s M
6. Benito Guerra M-Sport WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC +12m 57.6s
7. Chris Atkinson Hyundai Motorsport i20 WRC +15m 15.4s M
8. Mikko Hirvonen M-Sport WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC +17m 06.8s M
9. Mads Ostberg Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT DS3 WRC +25m 41.6s
10. Yuriy Protasov Ford Fiesta R5 +28m 18.2s WRC2
