Volkswagen leaves the WRC with a Mikkelsen-Ogier double

The error of Sébastien Ogier in the twentieth timed sector had put an almost definitive end to the suspense in this Rally of Australia 2016, concluding round of the World Championship.

At the head of a capital of more than twenty seconds ahead of his world champion teammate, Andreas Mikkelsen just had to manage until the finish to secure his second success after Poland.

The Norwegian did not tremble and won with a 14″9 lead in the end, Sébastien Ogier having won the Power Stage for the honor. The Volkswagen duo thus offers a nice double to their employer before the end of the official Polo R program WRC in World.

If Mikkelsen ends 2016 with a success, he will not have been able to prevent Thierry Neuville to secure second place in the overall Drivers classification. The Belgian of Hyundai Motorsport notably took advantage of the error in SS20 by his teammate Hayden Paddon, then battling with Mikkelsen and Ogier, and fell to fifth place behind Dani Sordo. The New Zealander will finally manage to move up one position against the Spaniard to finish in fourth place.

Behind the Hyundai trio, Mads Ostberg (Ford) takes sixth place ahead Ott Tänak (Ford), while Eric Camilli rolled over in SS21 and was forced to abandon. Eighth and first driver of the WRC-2, Esapekka Lappi (Skoda Fabia R5) secures the category crown. Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen) and Lorenzo Bertelli (Ford) complete the top 10.

Rally Australia Results

Find the full report and analysis of the Rally Australia, produced by our special correspondent, in issue 2090 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.