Rally New Zealand (6-9 May 2010) – Day 3!Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia led into the closing day of the Rally New Zealand, having setsix fastest times and eventually equalled their best FIA World Rally Championship result of secondoverall. The Citroën Junior Team crew missed out on victory by just 2.4 seconds.
The final day of the 2010 Rally New Zealand was the shortest one of all, but it was no less fearsomebecause of that. With two loops of two stages and 81.70 competitive kilometres, the route out towardsRaglan offered a great show.
Having started first on the road by virtue of his lead, Sébastien Ogier found particularly delicateconditions on Te Hutawai (SS18) and lost his first place by 4.5 seconds. « On the opening stage, we hada spin that cost us a dozen seconds and the rally lead, » explained the Citroën Junior Team driver at theRaglan service area. « In Whanga coast, we were sweeping the road a lot. I was going as hard as I couldbut I knew that we weren’t making progress and that I would lose a lot of time. »
As Sébastien Ogier left the stop point in Whaanga Coast (SS19), Sébastien Loeb also made a mistakethat cost him around 50 seconds. So the Citroën Junior Team driver regained first place before the finalloop.
In Te Hutewai 2 (SS20), Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia pushed hard again. Thanks to a secondfastesttime the French crew made the most of their road position with a 6.2-second advantage over theirnew rival for victory : Jari-Matti Latvala.
The number 7 Citroën C4 WRC launched into the final stage with three competitors covered by 20seconds. Sébastien and Julien managed to see off the assault from Sébastien Loeb, but a small mistakewithin sight of the finish cost them a few precious seconds and first place !
« We were so close to our first WRC win, » said Sebastien. « That spin three corners from the finishdeprived us of a great result. But that shouldn’t take way anything from the fact that fighting for victoryright down to the last stage on our first trip to New Zealand has surpassed all our expectations. It’s veryencouraging and I’m looking forward to crystallising all our efforts and that of the team for our firstvictory. »
By finishing second, 2.4 seconds behind the winner Jari-Matti Latvala, Sébastien Ogier and JulienIngrassia equal their best ever World Rally Championship result. They previously finished second on the2009 Acropolis Rally.
« Sébastien and Julien have driven a fantastic rally, concluded Citroën Junior Team manager BenoitNogier. « They have put in an exceptional performance even though the last split changed everything.The result is a huge satisfaction for the entire team, which has been right up there in all the rallies it hascontested since last season. Technically, we have not experienced the slightest problem. In Portugal wewill once more have two Citroën C4 WRCs for Sébastien Ogier and Kimi Räikkönen, and we hope to staronce more. »
THE RALLY BY NUMBERSSébastien Ogier / Julien IngrassiaSS18 : Te Hutewai 1 (11,18 km) 8th +15’’0 2nd +4’’5SS19 : Whaanga Coast 1 (29,67 km) 5th +22’’1 1stSS20 : Te Hutewai 2 (11,18 km) 2nd +4’’0 1stSS21 : Whaanga Coast 2 (29,67 km) 5th +9’’1 2nd +2’’4
Fastest stages timesDay 1 – SS1 : Petter Solberg (Citroën C4) – SS2 : Sébastien Ogier (Citroën C4) – SS3 and 4 : DaniSordo (Citroën C4) – SS5 and 6 : Ogier – SS7 : Sébastien Loeb (Citroën C4) – SS8 : P. Solberg – SS9 :Ogier and Loeb.
Day 2 – SS10 to 12 : Loeb – SS13 : Ogier – SS14 to 16 : Loeb – SS17 : Ogier.
Day 3 – SS18 : Mikko Hirvonen (Ford Focus) – SS19 : P. Solberg – SS20 : Loeb – SS21 : Sordo.
Best performers : Loeb, 9 fastest times – Ogier, 6 – Sordo and P. Solberg, 3 – Hirvonen, 1.Leaders : SS1 and 2 : P. Solberg – SS3 and 4 : Sordo – SS5 and 6 : Ogier – SS7 : Latvala – SS8 and9 : P. Solberg – SS10 to 17 : Ogier – SS18 : Loeb – SS19 and 20 : Ogier – SS21 (finish) : Latvala.
Provisional final classification1. Latvala / Anttila Ford Focus 4:04’09’’82. Ogier / Ingrassia Citroën C4 +2’’43. Loeb / Elena Citroën C4 +15’’24. Hirvonen / Lehtinen Ford Focus +21’’35. Sordo / Marti Citroën C4 +25’’86. Wilson / Martin Ford Focus +3’26’’07. H. Solberg / Minor Ford Focus +6’15’’38. Ketomaa / Stenberg Ford Fiesta +10’19’’39. Villagra / Perez Companc Ford Focus +10’49’’810. Pons / Hera Ford Fiesta +11’13’’4...
