Ogier wins 5th straight world title in Wales

GWYDIR, United Kingdom: Frenchman Sebastien Ogier clinched his fifth consecutive World Rally Championship title on Sunday after securing third place at the Wales Rally GB while Welshman Elfyn Evans became the first British winner of the event in 17 years.

Ogier’s M- Sport team- mate Evans, driving a Ford Focus, claimed his maiden WRC victory on home soil, beating Thierry Neuville’s Hyundai i20 in the four- day forest road event by 37.3 seconds. Ogier was a further 7.9sec behind.

Ogier’s third- place f inish was enough for the 33-year- old to secure a fifth consecutive championship title ahead of next month’s 13th and final round in Australia.

“I don’t know what to say... It’s been a tough year but to end it like this is just incredible!” Ogier tweeted.

“All our titles mean a lot, but this one came after a very hard fight. We had to take risks. It hasn’t been an easy one to grab.”

The Frenchman has 215 points, ahead of Belgian Neuville (183) and his Estonian team-mate Ott Tanak (169).

Ogier, who started his reign in 2013, is continuing French domination of the World Rally Championship. His compatriot Sebas t ien Loeb won nine consecutive titles from 2004 until 2012.

Evans, who is the first Welsh driver to win a WRC event and joins Roger Clark, Colin McRae and Richard Burns as the fourth homegrown winner of Rally GB, said: “It’s been a good rally.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everybody that has stood by me through all these years — to get to this point has taken a lot.

“To all the people who have supported me and backed me, this is for you. And this result only makes us even hungrier for more.”

The M- Sport team secured the manufacturers’ title for the first time since 2007. — AFP