Rallying-Ogier wins Rally Chile to seize world championship lead
Sebastien Ogier clinched his fifth win of the season at Rally Chile on Sunday to move to the top of the World Rally Championship standings, beating Toyota teammate and title rival Elfyn Evans to take a two-point lead with three rallies left.
The eight-time world champion, in his 200th WRC start, pulled clear on the final day's gravel stages to secure Toyota's 10th win of the season. Evans, from Wales, finished 11.0 seconds behind to limit the damage in the drivers' standings.
Much like his triumph in Paraguay last month, 41-year-old Ogier's weekend in Chile began with a difficult Friday when he slipped to fifth. The momentum swung back his way on Saturday before a decisive final leg.
"It is like we wanted. It has been a more difficult weekend than Paraguay. We had to fight a bit more... but we can be pleased with the way we ended up," France's Ogier said
The result made Toyota the most successful manufacturer in WRC history with 103 wins. It also tightened the Japanese company's grip on a fifth successive manufacturers' crown, extending its lead over Hyundai to 125 points.
"Now we are number one, a record for Toyota (that is) more than deserved," Ogier added.
Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux finished third, 46.5 seconds behind Ogier, for his third podium of the season.
The Frenchman's Belgian teammate and defending champion Thierry Neuville was fourth.
Toyota's Sami Pajari finished fifth and title contender Kalle Rovanpera sixth. Rovanpera, who arrived in Chile second in the championship standings, dropped to third after his weekend was disrupted by a tyre debeading.
Ott Tanak's title hopes suffered a major blow when his Hyundai's engine failed during the Friday stages, putting the Estonian out of the top three, 43 points behind Ogier in the standings.
The next rally is in Central Europe from October 16-19, the 12th round of the season, run on asphalt roads through Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.
