Ogier Wins Fourth Straight Rally and Fourth Straight Manufacturers’ Championship

Volkswagen Motorsport claimed its fourth straight World Rally Championship manufacturer’s title, thanks in no small part to Sebastien Ogier’s fourth straight rally win at this weekend’s Dayinsure Wales Rally GB.

With that, Volkswagen has won this season’s three major WRC titles: the manufacturer’s title, the driver’s title, and the co-driver’s title.

Not only has Volkswagen locked out the three seasonal title, it becomes only the second team in WRC history to do so, after Citroen.

“Given the strength of the opposition, this success has only been possible with a committed team effort, with every single member giving his best for the course,” says Dr Frank Welsch, VW board member for Development. “Congratulations and thank you to the whole team.”

The win is a momentous, but also bittersweet one, as it marks the end of Volkswagen Motorsport’s last season with Jost Capito. Capito was the team’s director throughout its recent success, but left late this season to join Mclaren’s storied Formula 1 team.

Unfortunately, a bad result for Ogier’s teammate Andreas Mikkelsen in the Wales Rally GB, and a retirement at the last rally in Spain drops him down into third place in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

With one race to go this season, in Australia, Mikkelsen will be desperate for a good result to get himself back into second, ahead of Hyundai Motorsport’s Therry Neuville, and back into second place. That race will take place on November 20.

The post Ogier Wins Fourth Straight Rally and Fourth Straight Manufacturers’ Championship appeared first on VWVortex.

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