Frenchman Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) won Rally Mexico, the third event of the season, and set a new record by winning this stage of the World Rally Championship (WRC) for the seventh time on Sunday.
The eight-time world champion, who rode carefully on Sunday so as not to waste his 35-second lead, still won the last special, the Power Stage, adding five additional points to the 25 of the victory, which allows him to take the lead in the world championship.
Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) ranks second just two hundredths from the winner, ahead of Briton Elfyn Evans, who brings a second Toyota to the podium after a mano a mano that lasted the entire last day of the Mexican event, from return after two blank years due to Covid-19.
Reigning world champion, the Finnish Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) is in 4th position at 1 min 55 sec 3/100.
Ogier, back after skipping Rally Sweden a month ago, benefited from the mechanical setbacks of the WRC world championship leader, the Estonian Ott Tänak (M-Sport Ford), ninth, and especially from a spectacular accident, fortunately not serious, which knocked out the Finn Esapekka Lappi (Hyundai) while he was racing in the lead during the 15th special on Saturday.
Next stop on the WRC calendar: Rally Croatia from April 20-23 on asphalt roads that are notorious for being narrow and bumpy.
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