Rally Mexico Win #6 for Ogier

Sébastien Ogier steered his Michelin LTX Force-equipped Toyota Yaris WRC to victory this weekend to earn his sixth success in Mexico. However, Round 3 of the 2020 FIA World Rally Championship was brought to an early close due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Ogier’s sixth Rally Mexico win puts him equal with the score of compatriot Sébastien Loeb and takes his total tally to 48 world-class victories, albeit his first with Toyota. The result has also promoted him to the top of the provisional Drivers’ standings.

The Frenchman’s six victories in Leon were claimed with four different carmakers (Volkswagen, Ford, Citroën and Toyota) but were all notched up on Michelin rubber.

This year again, the hard- (H4) and medium-compound (M6) versions of the Michelin LTX Force tyres delivered on the brand’s ‘Performance Made to Last’ promise as competitors battled at altitudes of more than 2,000 metres above sea level.

Ogier looked perfectly at ease on the fixture’s nicely-paced but technically-challenging stages and emerged in front after SS4. And that’s where he stayed until action was halted after the second of the three scheduled legs owing to the travel restrictions that are being put into place across the globe.

Reigning champion Ott Tänak (Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC/Michelin) came second, ahead of Teemu Suninen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin) and Ogier’s team-mates Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä. Hyundai/Michelin’s Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo were both affected by technical issues, while Esapekka Lappi’s Ford Fiesta was consumed by flames.

Round four of the 2020 FIA WRC campaign in Argentina – initially planned for late April – has been cancelled, but Rally de Portugal is still slated for May 21-24.

2020 Rally Mexico – Final positions:

1. Ogier/Ingrassia (Toyota Yaris WRC/Michelin), 2h47m47.6s

2. Tänak/Järveoja (Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC/Michelin), +27.8s

3. Suninen/Lehtinen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin), +37.9s

4. Evans/Martin (Toyota Yaris WRC/Michelin), +1m13.4s

5. Rovanperä/Halttunen (Toyota Yaris WRC/Michelin), +2m20.5s

6. Tidemand/Barth (Skoda Fabia R5), +10m29.3s (1st WRC2)

7. Bulacia/Bernacchini (Citroën C3 R5), +13m37.5s

8. Greensmith/Edmonson (Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin), +13m56.5s

9. Veiby/Andersson (Hyundai i20 R5), +15m32.2s

10. Fernandez/Garcia (Skoda Fabia R5/Michelin), +17m48.6s

Etc.