Rally Guanajuato Mexico - Day 3

09.03.14
RALLY GUANAJUATO MEXICO
(06-09 MARCH 2014)

RALLY NEWS

Reigning FIA World Rally Champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia claimed their second victory of the season today, winning Rally Guanajuato Mexico - the third round of the series - by more than a minute. Team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished second, giving Volkswagen Motorsport its first one-two of the year. Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul took a fine third in the i20 WRC, claiming Hyundai Motorsport’s first-ever podium in the WRC in only their third outing with this car. 
 
In the FIA World Rally Championship, Ogier snatches the lead in the series from Latvala but a mere three points separate the battling team-mates. Volkswagen Motorsport heads the series for manufacturers, romping ahead of the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.
 
Today’s route covered just four stages and 80.22 competitive kilometres, but included the longest stage of the rally; the mammoth 55.92 kilometre Guanajuatito test. Ogier, who notched up his 18th world rally victory in Mexico, won the opening short stage and was able to control the pace before heading to the final El Brinco Power Stage, where he claimed maximum points for fastest through this single stage. Latvala had an uneventful run to second, with extra points for finishing second in the Power Stage, and Neuville appeared to have third position under control until a hole in the radiator after the final stage put his run back to the finish in jeopardy. Repairs on the road section however saw the young Belgian claim an emotional first podium for Hyundai.
 
Elfyn Evans drove a measured and mature rally to claim a career-best fourth in a WRC event and Martin Prokop finished fifth. Benito Guerra, Mexico’s only World Rally Car driver, finished sixth and Chris Atkinson claimed seventh in the second Hyundai, the Australian suffering a few problems throughout the event including brake and gearshift issues today. Mikko Hirvonen and Mads Østberg, running under Rally 2 regulations, were eighth and ninth respectively and FIA WRC 2 Championship driver Yuriy Protasov rounded off the top 10 with victory in his category too. Kris Meeke was the only retirement of the day, the Citroën driver clipping something in a long right hand corner in the Power Stage and damaging the front wheel.
 
The fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the crews back to Europe for Vodafone Rally de Portugal (3-6 April).
 
Rally Guanajuato Mexico – Final Unofficial Results (subject to scrutineering)
   
1.   Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia
2.   Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila
3.   Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul
4.   Elfyn Evans/Daniel Barritt
5.   Martin Prokop/Jan Tomanek
6.   Benito Guerra/Borja Rozada
7.   Chris Atkinson/Stephane Prévot
8.   Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen
9.   Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson
10. Yuriy Protasov/Pavlo Cherepin
Volkswagen Polo R WRC
Volkswagen Polo R WRC
Hyundai i20 WRC
Ford Fiesta RS WRC
Ford Fiesta RS WRC
Ford Fiesta RS
Hyundai i20 WRC
Ford Fiesta RS WRC
Citroën DS3 WRC
Ford Fiesta R5
4hr 27min 41.8sec
4hr 28min 54.4sec
4hr 33min 10.4sec
4hr 34min 31.1sec
4hr 37min 36.2sec
4hr 40min 39.4sec
4hr 42min 57.2sec
4hr 44min 48.6sec
4hr 53min 23.4sec
4hr 56min 00.0sec

FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers (after 3 of 13 rounds)

Sébastien Ogier (FRA)
Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN)
Mads Østberg (NOR)
Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)
Elfyn Evans (GBR)
Bryan Bouffier (FRA)
Mikko Hirvonen (FIN)
Kris Meeke (GBR)
Thierry Neuville (BEL)
Ott Tanak (EST)
Martin Prokop (CZE)
Benito Guerra (MEX)
Henning Solberg (NOR)
Chris Atkinson (AUS)
Jaroslav Melicharek (SVK)
Pontus Tidemand (SWE)
Matteo Gamba (ITA)
Craig Breen (IRL)
Yuriy Protasov (UKR)
63 points
60 points
32 points
24 points
20 points
18 points
18 points
17 points
15 points
10 points
10 points
8 points
6 points
6 points
4 points
4 points
2 points
2 points
2 points
 

FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers (after 3 of 13 rounds)

Volkswagen Motorsport
Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
M-Sport World Rally Team
Hyundai Motorsport
Volkswagen Motorsport II
Jipocar Czech National Team
RK M-Sport World Rally Team
115 points
60 points
40 points
31 points
28 points
10 points
4 points