Latest news with #SebastienOgier
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Rallying-Ogier leads after tough first day in Sardinia
Toyota's Sebastien Ogier led Rally Italy in Sardinia on Friday after surging from third to first on the final stage of the first full day of action after rivals hit trouble. Hyundai's reigning world champion Thierry Neuville retired on stage five after taking the lead on the fourth stage of the Olbia-based rally in northern Sardinia and then hitting an earth bank. Adrien Fourmaux was in second place, 2.1 seconds behind eight-times world champion Ogier, with Hyundai teammate Ott Tanak third on the gravel tracks. Last year's winner Tanak completed the leg with a damaged shock absorber and 5.2 seconds behind Fourmaux. Toyota's double world champion Kalle Rovanpera was down in fifth place with championship-leading teammate Elfyn Evans sixth after being the first driver to set out and effectively sweeping the road. "It's been a good day, for sure," commented Ogier. "I've done everything I could today, so I'm happy with that." M-Sport Ford's Martins Sesks rolled out while teammates Josh McErlean and Gregoire Munster retired with suspension damage in the morning action on the same new Telti-Calangianus-Berchidda stage that caught out Neuville later. M-Sport expected at least two of the three to resume on Saturday. "That stage where all the drama happened was very tricky,' said Ogier. "It's super narrow and extremely fast. It's always a surprise to see that many incidents, but it can happen very easily there." The rally, round six of the championship, continues on Saturday with more than 120km of timed action. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Ogier leads after tough first day in Sardinia
June 6 (Reuters) - Toyota's Sebastien Ogier led Rally Italy in Sardinia on Friday after surging from third to first on the final stage of the first full day of action after rivals hit trouble. Hyundai's reigning world champion Thierry Neuville retired on stage five after taking the lead on the fourth stage of the Olbia-based rally in northern Sardinia and then hitting an earth bank. Adrien Fourmaux was in second place, 2.1 seconds behind eight-times world champion Ogier, with Hyundai teammate Ott Tanak third on the gravel tracks. Last year's winner Tanak completed the leg with a damaged shock absorber and 5.2 seconds behind Fourmaux. Toyota's double world champion Kalle Rovanpera was down in fifth place with championship-leading teammate Elfyn Evans sixth after being the first driver to set out and effectively sweeping the road. "It's been a good day, for sure," commented Ogier. "I've done everything I could today, so I'm happy with that." M-Sport Ford's Martins Sesks rolled out while teammates Josh McErlean and Gregoire Munster retired with suspension damage in the morning action on the same new Telti-Calangianus-Berchidda stage that caught out Neuville later. M-Sport expected at least two of the three to resume on Saturday. "That stage where all the drama happened was very tricky,' said Ogier. "It's super narrow and extremely fast. It's always a surprise to see that many incidents, but it can happen very easily there." The rally, round six of the championship, continues on Saturday with more than 120km of timed action.
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
McErlean and Treacy hoping to return to event Saturday after dramatic stage two at Rally Italia Sardegna
A dramatic and incident filled second stage of Rally Italia Sardegna, round six of the World Rally Championship, claimed the Irish crew of Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy along with their M-Sport Ford team mates Gregoire Munster/Louis Louka and Martins Sesks/Renars Francis leaving Jourdan Serderidis as the sole Ford competitor, but the Greek driver reported a broken suspension damper at the stage end. Meanwhile, French driver Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) leads overnight 2.1s ahead of compatriot Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai i20 Rally1) with his Hyundai team mate Ott Tanak 5.2s further behind in third. It had begun well for Kilrea's McErlean and Killeagh's Treacy, who followed up their strong performance in the shakedown to post the sixth fastest time on SS1 - 5.4s behind rally leader Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1). "It was okay. I don't think I took much out of the road, it cleaned a lot, I saw Ogier's time before the stage and do that third on the road is incredible. Still a lot more to go." Unfortunately, the "more" only lasted about 8.5km into the Telti-Calangianus-Berchidda 18.43 km stage when McErlean's Puma clipped a tree. "Small mistakes have big consequences, after a positive start we ran wide and damaged the rear suspension and couldn't continue." Aware of his team mates, he added, "Not a great stage for M-Sport. We knew it would be tough, but this is brutal." The Irish duo are hoping to return to the event today (Saturday) under Super Rally where they will have the extra challenge of sweeping the road. Meanwhile, Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux topped the time sheets after the opening loop of three stages 2.9s ahead of his team mate and reigning WR champion Thierry Neuville with Sebastien Ogier (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) seeking a record breaking fifth win on the event, 5.2s further behind in third. Championship leader Elfyn Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) was down in eighth place and 41.2s off the lead, principally due to the fact that he was running first on the road. On the repeat loop, Neuville regained the lead on SS4 only to retire on the next stage following an impact that damaged the suspension. Fourmaux was back in front once more followed by team mate Tanak - 1.2s behind with Ogier third before setting the best time on SS6 to lead overnight. There are six stages today and four on Sunday. Rally Italia Sardegna (Round 6, World Rally Championship) Olbia: 1. S. Ogier/V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 1h. 10m. 33.1s; 2. A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+2.1s; 3. O. Tanak Ott/M. Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+7.3s; 4. S. Pajari/M. Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+16.8s; 5. K. Rovanpera/J. Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+22.8s; 6. E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+1m. 09.8s; 7. T. Katsuta/A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+2m. 27.9s.
Observer
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Observer
French Veteran Ogier wins Rally of Portugal
MATOSINHOS, Portugal: Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier chalked up the 63rd victory of his WRC career in the Rally of Portugal on Sunday, the fifth of 14 rounds of the world championship. The 41-year-old French Toyota driver finished 8.7 seconds ahead of Hyundai's Ott Tanak (Hyundai) with Ogier's Finnish teammate Kalle Rovanpera completing the podium a further 3.50sec behind. "I think it's something I can be proud of, the way I have managed to stay competitive after all these years," said Ogier who claimed a record seventh victory in Portugal. "Thanks to the team — it was great to drive this weekend. "Ott was just flying (like) crazy, but maybe a bit too much. I don't know. On our side, race management is definitely a craft we have, so I'm happy. Seven times here in Portugal, not too bad. France's Sebastien Ogier and his co-driver Vincent Landais of France compete in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1 during the SS21 stage of the World Rally Championship (WRC) Rally of Portugal in Fafe, on May 18, 2025. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) Ogier's win means Toyota have a one hundred percent record in the first five rallies this season with Ogier, Rovanpera and Elfyn Evans all winning. Filling out the top five were reigning world champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) and Japan's Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) while championship leader Evans could only finish sixth. Ogier spent a long time trailing in the rally behind Tanak before hitting the front late on Saturday when the Estonian suffered a mechanical problem. He went into Sunday's race with a 27-second advantage and was able to take control to claim his third podium in three races this season. He won the season-opener in Monte Carlo at the end of January and took second in the Canaries at the end of April. Evans still tops the standings with 118 but Rovenpera's third place means he is now just 20 points adrift of the Welshman, Ogier a further two points back in third. The next rally is in Sardinia in June. — AFP
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
French veteran Ogier wins Rally of Portugal
Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier chalked up the 63rd victory of his WRC career in the Rally of Portugal on Sunday, the fifth of 14 rounds of the world championship. The 41-year-old French Toyota driver finished 8.7 seconds ahead of Hyundai's Ott Tanak (Hyundai) with Ogier's Finnish teammate Kalle Rovanpera completing the podium a further 3.50sec behind. "I think it's something I can be proud of, the way I have managed to stay competitive after all these years," said Ogier who claimed a record seventh victory in Portugal. "Thanks to the team - it was great to drive this weekend. "Ott was just flying (like) crazy, but maybe a bit too much. I don't know. On our side, race management is definitely a craft we have, so I'm happy. Seven times here in Portugal, not too bad. Ogier's win means Toyota have a one hundred percent record in the first five rallies this season with Ogier, Rovanpera and Elfyn Evans all winning. Filling out the top five were reigning world champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) and Japan's Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) while championship leader Evans could only finish sixth. Ogier spent a long time trailing in the rally behind Tanak before hitting the front late on Saturday when the Estonian suffered a mechanical problem. He went into Sunday's race with a 27-second advantage and was able to take control to claim his third podium in three races this season. He won the season-opener in Monte Carlo at the end of January and took second in the Canaries at the end of April. Evans still tops the standings with 118 but Rovenpera's third place means he is now just 20 points adrift of the Welshman, Ogier a further two points back in third. The next rally is in Sardinia in June. nb/jld/bsp
