The Japan Times - Ogier wins record-equalling ninth world rally title

Ogier, 41, finished third in the season-closing Rally Saudi Arabia to pip Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans to the crown, finishing just four points ahead of the Welshman who came in sixth.

Ogier's exploit was all the more remarkable as he was competing as a 'part-time' driver this year, skipping three of the 14 rallies.

"What an incredible season," said the Frenchman who won six rallies this season and appeared on the podium in 10 of the 11 in which he competed.

"The battle with Elfyn has been really superb. There are no great champions without great rivals."

"He pushed us to the limits until the very last stage of the season," added Ogier before climbing onto the roof of his car to celebrate with his co-driver Vincent Landais.

Ogier's titles have come at the wheel of three different teams - claiming the first of four with Volkswagen in 2013, then two with Ford (2017-2018) and now adding a third to his 2020-2021 wins with Toyota.

"Ten podium finishes in 11 races, six victories: this may be one of the best seasons of my career in terms of performance and consistency," he said.

Evans had arrived in Jeddah leading the standings by three points, but his hopes of finally ascending to the WRC throne after finishing runner-up four times were scuppered by a costly puncture on Friday.

"It was a tough event obviously," said the 36-year-old Evans, who at least had the consolation of winning Saturday's final stage.

"We've done what we can, that's it. We're competitors at the end of the day, we always want better, we always want more."

It is the third time that Evans has finished as runner-up in the title race to Ogier. In 2020 he was also leading going into the final round at Monza only to miss out after a crash in the snow.

This time it wasn't the snow but the loose rocks in this inaugural rally in Saudi Arabia which scuppered his chances, a puncture on Friday giving Evans too much to make up on the final day.

Evans was not the only one to suffer on the course: Martins Sesks, who was leading at the time, had two punctures on the penultimate stage which also saw Takamoto Katsuta rolling in soft sand and two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera stopping to change a wheel.

With Sesks held up, last year's champion Thierry Neuville came through to take the honours.

French driver Adrien Fourmaux was second with Ogier completing the podium while celebrating an incredible ninth title.

T.Sato--JT