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FARO, Portugal (AFP) –
France’s Sebastien Ogier is interviewed after winning the 19th of Rally Sweden in Hagfors on February 10, 2013. Ogier has extended his lead at the top of the world championship standings with success in the Rally of Portugal.
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France’s Sebastien Ogier extended his lead at the top of the world championship standings with success in the Rally of Portugal on Sunday.
The Volkswagen driver, at the head of the standings since Friday’s first day, beat Finnish Citroen DS3 rival Mikko Hirvonen by 58 seconds with Jari-Matti Latvala (VW Polo) over four minutes back in third.
This was 29-year-old Ogier’s third consecutive success of the season after Sweden and Mexico and his third in Portugal after wins here with Citroen in 2010 and 2011.
Ogier, who picked up three bonus points in Sunday’s power stage, was registering his 10th career win in the world rally championship.
He dominated the action in the Algarve, taking six of the 15 special stages while Hirvonen harvested only one.
Ogier’s path to victory was eased when two of his main rivals, Norway’s Mads Ostberg, in a Ford Fiesta, and Spain’s Citroen ace Dani Sordi, failed to finish.
