The very short final leg of Wales Rally GB promised to deliver a dramatic, nail-biting finale. For the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team crews, the aim was to hold onto their positions in order to score the points required to confirm second place in the manufacturers’ championship.
As gale force winds and heavy rain battered the final four stages, Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg managed to keep out of trouble and make it to the end of the rally. Ott Tänak’s retirement on SS16 promoted Mads Østberg to seventh place, whilst Kris Meeke racked up his seventh podium in the World Championship as he finished as runner-up.
Very consistent throughout the event, Stéphane Lefebvre continued to set top 10 times to end the rally in eighth overall – the best result of his career to date – in the DS 3 WRC.
The FIA Junior WRC season ended with a maiden win for Ole Christian Veiby. The Norwegian took the class victory, ahead of the Frenchmen Thierry Folb and Pierre-Louis Loubet. Ole Christian Veiby therefore ended as runner-up in the championship, just behind Quentin Gilbert. In the WRC 3, Quentin Gilbert also won the title from Ole Christian Veiby and Simone Tempestini, all three driving DS 3 R3-MAXs.
QUOTE, UNQUOTE Yves Matton (Citroën Racing Team Principal): “Now is not really the time for celebrating, given the circumstances. Obviously, our thoughts are with the victims of the Paris attacks. The sporting result is secondary, but it was nonetheless important to finish off the job here. Thank you and well done to the team for their hard work throughout the year. I’m really proud of them. In addition to successfully defending both WTCC titles, we have achieved all our targets in rallying with second place in the Manufacturers’ World Championship, a WRC rally win and the WRC 3 title, which shows that we are still leading the way in promoting talented young drivers. I would also like to thank Mads Østberg, Jonas Andersson, Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle for their commitment throughout the season.”
Kris Meeke: “I felt comfortable all weekend in the DS 3 WRC and our performances reflected that. It was a very difficult rally, but I really enjoyed it. Finishing as runner-up here in Wales was a great way to round off the season and secure second place in the manufacturers’ championship.”
Mads Østberg: “After what happened yesterday, we really had to focus above all else on finishing the rally. I’m pleased because we have had a good season and we have finished second in the manufacturers’ standings. We have achieved the target set for us at the start of the year!”
Stéphane Lefebvre: “We learned a lot again this weekend at what is a very tough, demanding rally. I feel increasingly confident in the DS 3 WRC. It’s a fantastic result and it’s very positive to finish a full and exciting season less than half a second per kilometre off the pace of the leading drivers.”
HOW THE ACTION UNFOLDED
SS1 – Hafren 1 (32.14km) – Stage win for Sébastien Ogier, first on the road, ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala and Kris Meeke. Mads Østberg ended this opening stage in fifth place. Stéphane Lefebvre set the twelfth fastest time.
SS2 – Sweet Lamb 1 (3.33km) – On the shortest stage of the day, Jari-Matti Latvala went off the road. Sébastien Ogier collected a second stage win ahead of Kris Meeke, who moved into second overall. Mads Østberg was sixth fastest, moving up into fourth overall.
SS3 – Myherin 1 (30.23km) – Thierry Neuville and Kevin Abbring retired on the stage and Robert Kubica suffered a puncture. Sébastien Ogier made it a hat-trick of stage wins, finishing ahead of Andreas Mikkelsen, Mads Østberg and Kris Meeke. No change in the top four overall, whilst Stéphane Lefebvre scored moved into the top ten.
SS4 – Hafren 2 (32.14km) – After changing tyres in Newtown, the crews set off on their second runs on the same loop of stages. Kris Meeke was quickest on Hafren 2 to strengthen his hold on second place, ahead of Andreas Mikkelsen and Mads Østberg. Dani Sordo took advantage of a puncture for Elfyn Evans to grab fifth overall. Stéphane Lefebvre set the eighth fastest time.
SS5 – Sweet Lamb 2 (3.33km) – Sébastien Ogier topped the timesheets again, ahead of Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo. Mads Østberg finished in seventh place on this stage, whilst Stéphane Lefebvre was tenth.
SS6 – Myherin 2 (30.23km) – Sébastien Ogier ended the day with a fifth stage win to lead the rally ahead of Kris Meeke, Andreas Mikkelsen and Mads Østberg. A transmission problem resulted in Martin Prokop dropping out of the top 10. Stéphane Lefebvre missed the opportunity to move up the standings, however, after he span on the final test of the day.
SS7 – Gartheiniog 1 (11.34km) – Having rejoined under Rally 2 rules and therefore first and second on the road, Thierry Neuville and Jari-Matti Latvala set the top two times on the day’s opening stage, held at sunrise. Kris Meeke was fourth fastest to reduce the gap to overall leader Sébastien Ogier, whilst Mads Østberg consolidated his fourth position. Stéphane Lefebvre moved into ninth place.
SS8 – Dyfi 1 (25.86km) – Jari-Matti Latvala went off, bringing his day to a premature end. Thierry Neuville went fastest once again, ahead of Sébastien Ogier and Kris Meeke. Mads Østberg picked up a puncture, allowing Dani Sordo to grab fourth position from him.
SS9 – Gartheiniog 2 (11.34km) – On the second pass, Andreas Mikkelsen went quickest, ahead of Kris Meeke. Mads Østberg was back on the pace, challenging Dani Sordo for fourth place.
SS10 – Dyfi 2 (25.86km) – Sébastien Ogier won the stage, ahead of Kris Meeke. The gap between the top two grew to 19.3 seconds, whilst Mikkelsen trailed the Ulsterman by around thirty seconds. Mads Østberg reclaimed fourth position from Dani Sordo, who lost two places after stalling on the stage.
SS11 – Dyfnant 1 (19.02km) – Thierry Neuville went off, holding up Sébastien Ogier as he tried to get past his car on the stage. Kris Meeke temporarily inherited the overall lead, before the Clerk of the Course awarded Ogier an adjusted time which handed the advantage back to the former leader. Mads Østberg went off, ending up a in a ditch. He lost almost two minutes and ended the day eighth overall. Stéphane Lefebvre recorded the eighth fastest time.
SS12 – Aberhirnant 1 (13.91km) – Another stage win for Sébastien Ogier, ahead of Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg. Stéphane Lefebvre finished seventh on this stage.
SS13 – Chirk Castle (2.06km) – On this short test organised as a prelude to the service break, Ott Tanak topped the timesheets. Stéphane Lefebvre was the highest-placed of the DS 3 WRC drivers in sixth, just ahead of Kris Meeke and Mads Østberg.
SS14 – Dyfnant 2 (19.02km) – After spending thirty minutes in Deeside for service, it was dark by the time the crews set off again. Andreas Mikkelsen won the stage, ahead of Sébastien Ogier and Kris Meeke. Mads Østberg and Stéphane Lefebvre rounded off the top 10.
SS15 – Aberhirnant 2 (13.91km) – Sébastien Ogier won the final stage of the day. Kris Meeke was fourth fastest and Stéphane Lefebvre finished seventh. In the overall standings, Ogier leads Meeke and Mikkelsen, with Østberg eighth and Lefebvre ninth.
SS16 – Brenig 1 (10.64km) – Having rejoined under Rally 2 regulations, Jari-Matti Latvala won the opening stage of the day, trailed by Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo. Kris Meeke grabbed the fifth fastest time, whilst Stéphane Lefebvre was ninth and Mads Østberg was tenth. Ott Tänak went off, forcing him to retire.
SS17 – Alwen (10.41km) – Another stage win for Jari-Matti Latvala, ahead of Andreas Mikkelsen and Kris Meeke. Mads Østberg and Stéphane Lefebvre were once again in the top 10.
SS18 – Great Orme (4.74km) – Whilst the organisers closed off the stage to spectators due to the poor weather conditions, Jari-Matti Latvala made it a hat-trick of stage wins, ahead of Robert Kubica and Hayden Paddon. Stéphane Lefebvre grabbed the sixth fastest time, whilst Kris Meeke was ninth and Mads Østberg was tenth.
SS19 – Brenig 2 (10.64km) – Jari-Matti Latvala completed the perfect leg in winning the Power Stage, with Andreas Mikkelsen second and Robert Kubica third. Kris Meeke was fourth fastest, whilst Mads Østberg finished seventh on the stage and Stéphane Lefebvre was eighth. Sébastien Ogier therefore won the season’s final rally, ahead of Kris Meeke and Andreas Mikkelsen. Mads Østberg finished seventh overall and Stéphane Lefebvre was eighth.
FINAL PROVISIONAL OVERALL STANDINGS 1. Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) 3:03:02.0 2. Kris Meeke / Paul Nagle (DS 3 WRC) +26.0 3. Andreas Mikkelsen / Ola Floene (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) +36.2 4. Dani Sordo / Marc Marti (Hyundai i20 WRC) +2:51.3 5. Hayden Paddon / John Kennard (Hyundai i20 WRC) +3:00.5 6. Elfyn Evans / Daniel Barritt (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +3:09.1 7. Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson (DS 3 WRC) +4:28.4 8. Stéphane Lefebvre / Stéphane Prévot (DS 3 WRC) +5:38.4 9. Robert Kubica / Maciek Szczepaniak (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +6:22.7 10. Lorenzo Bertelli / Lorenzo Granai (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +8:05.0
FASTEST TIMES Sébastien Ogier, 9 – Jari-Matti Latvala, 4 – Thierry Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen, 2 – Kris Meeke and Ott Tänak, 1.
LEADERS SS1 to SS19 (finish): Sébastien Ogier
DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 1. Sébastien Ogier 263 points 2. Jari-Matti Latvala 183 pts 3. Andreas Mikkelsen 171 pts 4. Mads Østberg 116 pts 5. Kris Meeke 112 pts 6. Thierry Neuville 90 pts 7. Elfyn Evans 89 pts 8. Dani Sordo 89 pts 12. Khalid Al-Qassimi 9 pts 19. Stéphane Lefebvre 5 pts
MANUFACTURERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 1. Volkswagen Motorsport 413 pts 2. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT 230 pts 3. Hyundai Shell WRT 224 pts 4. M-Sport WRT 181 pts…
Subject to publication of the official results by the FIA
Press release Citroën Racing
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