The duo came under mounting pressure from Hayden Paddon and John Kennard yesterday but resisted the challenge from the Hyundai crew to take their second win of the season by 29.8 seconds. Paddon’s impressive second position on just his third visit to Sweden matches his best-ever WRC result from Italy last year. Mads Østberg and Ola Fløene finished third in the Fiesta RS WRC.

In the FIA World Rally Championship, Ogier’s maximum points from Monte-Carlo and Sweden see him extend his advantage to 23 points over team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen with Mads Ostberg third, just six points further adrift. In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Volkswagen Motorsport leads, five points ahead of Hyundai Motorsport.

Following changes to the itinerary earlier in the week, the closing day of Rally Sweden was a shortened affair and just the 15.87 kilometre Power Stage was run. With a 17.1 second lead going into the day, Ogier could afford to take it steady, but the Frenchman once again romped to victory with a Power Stage win and maximum points from the second round of the FIA World Rally Championship. Paddon, who was competing in his first event with the new generation i20 WRC, had an anxious run back to Karlstad after the stage, the Kiwi having clouted a wooden pole and punctured the radiator. After effecting temporary repairs, and stopping on the road section to top up the water, the crew eventually made it back to take the second WRC podium finish of Paddon’s career. Mads Østberg was delighted with his first podium of the season, the Norwegian finishing 15.2 seconds ahead of compatriot Andreas Mikkelsen.

Ott Tanak had an uneventful run throughout the event to finish fifth ahead of Dani Sordo, the Spaniard’s hopes of challenging dashed after a puncture on Saturday. Henning Solberg had a fine run to seventh and finished 4.6 seconds ahead of Craig Breen, the Irish driver putting in an impressive performance in his first outing in the DS 3 WRC. Of the remaining WRC drivers, Thierry Neuville eventually finished 14th after his transmission problems on the opening day, Kris Meeke was 23rd - one Power Stage point some consolation - and Jari-Matti Latvala was 26th after dropping time on Friday with a broken drive-shaft.

In the FIA WRC 2 Championship, Eflyn Evans took another victory in the Fiesta R5, the Welshman 14.7 seconds ahead of Pontus Tidemand who broke a driveshaft in the final stage. Evans was ninth overall and Tidemand 11th, Teemu Suninen in a non-WRC 2 registered Fabia R5 finishing 10th overall. Michel Fabre, the sole contender in the FIA WRC 3 Championship, finished 36th overall and claimed the maximum category points.

The contenders now head to the Americas for the first full gravel event of the season, Rally Mexico (3-6 March).

Rally Sweden – Final Unofficial Results 

FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers (after 2 of 14 rounds)

FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers (after 2 of 14 rounds)