Despite early claims that the power stage wasn’t crucial, Sebastien Ogier once again proved he’s the master of saving tyres and going flat out, but not without a high benchmark time first being set by teammate, Jari-Matti Lavala.
Latvala pushed his Polo R WRC to its very limits, setting the pace with a strong time of 8.45 over the fastest stage of the rally. His time proved impossible for Ostberg at 8.46 and Hirvonen at 8.49 to beat, despite an incredible push from both drivers.
In the end though, it was Ogier who flew through the stage, slashing Latvala’s time with a result of 8.41, working his Polo R WRC to its limit and claiming the 11th power stage win for the car out of the 16 it’s competed in. Not only did it earn him the three points for winning the stage, it also further secured his win of the event overall.
In WRC2, Nasser Al-Attiyah’s charge continued, forcing the determined Jari Ketomaa to settle for second despite a weekend of determined driving.
The only drama of the stage came from Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville who suffered a differential failure resulting in his car being 2wd, causing him to spin on the hairpin.