Africa-Press – Botswana. French driver Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Yaris) won, sunday, the Catalunya Rally, the 12th and penultimate race of the World Championship, allowing the Japanese brand to win the constructors’ title.
Ogier completed the 19 specials of the Catalan race with a time of 2:44.43.9 hours, leaving the Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20) in second place, at 16.4 seconds, with the Finnish Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota Yaris) in third, at 34.5.
In this way, Toyota won the second consecutive constructors’ title, having a 93-point advantage over Hyundai.
Already Ogier, reached 55 victories, the first this season and in the hybrid era and also the first with the new navigator, Frenchman Benjamin Veillas, who replaced Julien Ingrassia.
The French driver, the reigning champion, has only participated in five rallies this year, after having decided to slow down his career a little and also dedicate himself to resistance, having participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“It’s Benji’s first victory, so I’m very happy for him. It’s fantastic to win, because it was an important weekend for the team. It’s not always easy to get these results”, underlined the French rider.
Kalle Rovanperä’s third place allowed Toyota to secure the title at the end of the championship.
“It wasn’t the result I wanted in this rally, but I think it’s not that bad either”, underlined Rovanperä, who has already mathematically secured the drivers’ title since the previous round in Japan.
The championship ends in Japan, from the 11th to the 13th of November, where Toyota will be able to celebrate the conquest of both championships in front of its public.
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