Sebastian Ogier has won his fifth FIA World Rally Championship title after finishing third at the recently-concluded Wales Rally GB. The Frenchman’s 215 points in the drivers’ championship was enough for him to secure the top spot in front of Thierry Neuville (183 points), ahead of the season finale in Australia.
Ogier’s victory comes just 12 months after he signed to drive with M-Sport World Rally Team, following Volkswagen’s departure from the motorsport. At M-Sport, he guided the Ford Fiesta WRC car to a number of podium finishes, including three top place finishes in Monte Carlo and Portugal.
“It’s been a tough year for sure but to end it like this is just incredible! Thank you so much to all the M-Sport team and to Malcolm. It was a hard job, we worked all very hard. It’s amazing to be world champions with this team! It’s hard to put words on it, it’s been a very strong emotion at the finish line,” Ogier said on his official Facebook page.
Meanwhile, Ogier’s co-driver, Julien Ingrassia, secured the championship for co-drivers ahead of Nicolas Gilsoul. M-Sport also took home the manufacturers’ title with a total of 398 points, which is 93 points more than Hyundai Motorsport in second place. The team entered three Ford Fiesta WRC cars for the 2017 season, driven by Ogier, Ott Tanak and Elfyn Evans.
French rally drivers have been pretty successful in the WRC, securing the championship from 2004 to 2017. While Ogier has only won five times – four in the Volkswagen Polo R WRC – his fellow countrymen Sebastian Loeb has taken the title nine times.
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Congrats to Sebastian Ogier for winning a 5th title with M-Sport. That shows it’s your skills that take U thus far & it make it a little more meaningful compare to your 4 titles with VW Polo-R. I believe U will win more races & titles in the coming yrs.
Looks like the name “Sebastian” has a racing heritage that is synonymous with racing when Sebastian Vettel(F1-4 titles) & Sebastian Loeb(9-time WRC titles) has in common.
it’s Sebastien Loeb, with a “e” for the “tien”.
Looks like the other Rally drivers have their job cut out for them – to break the stronghold of the French “Sebastian” name who had won the WRC for 14 years in a row.
If Ford can give him a good rally car for 2018, I have no doubt he will maintain the WRC title again.
Some rally drivers are faster than him, but not consistent. Some rally drivers are consistent, but not fast.
But Sebastian Ogier is both Fast and Consistent, just like Sebastian Loeb.
Congratulations to Ogier and his co-driver Ingrassia!
So for other brands to win, VW must leave.
if this guy continue wrc few more years may beat seb loeb record ^^