In Portugal, 

Ogier’s first time

The Citroen Frenchman triumphs in the Lusitanian stage, winning the first career success in the world championship. Behind him the Loeb and Sordo brand partners

LISBON – Portugal speaks French. It is the language of Citroën and Sébastien Ogier that closes the sixth round of the 2010 World Championship in first place ahead of world champion Sébastien Loeb and Spaniard Dani Sordo. Behind, more than a minute and a half from the French of the Citroën Junior Team, the first Ford, that of Mikko Hirvonen in clear difficulty after the good start of the season. The Finn has only been on the podium twice since the world championship.

FIRST WRC SUCCESS- Ogier, 26 years old, junior world champion in 2008 with the Citroën C2, had not yet won in the top category of the WRC. In the lead as early as Friday morning, he managed to resist the return of six-time world champion, Sébastien Loeb, who ended at just 7”9. Solid third place went to Dani Sordo with the other C4. At the foot of the podium in extremis Mikko Hirvonen who steals points in the general classification to Petter Solberg (Citroën C4). Ogier’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen finished in tenth place. The classification of the Drivers’ World Championship always sees the Loeb command with 126 points. Ogier, at his first career win, is second at 88.

LATVALA RETREAT –Bare Portugal, however, for Jari-Matti Latvala. The Ford Focus Finn, second in general before this rally, had retired in the ninth special after an accident. The Scandinavian pilot had gone off the road crashing his car into a tree.

be done to us is not prevented from others.

(May 30, 2010)