bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Associated Press

World Rally Championship points leader Sebastien Ogier of France won all six road stages at Rally Australia on Friday to take a commanding overall lead and leave him in a strong position to clinch the series title this weekend.
Ogier, who also won a special opening night stage on Thursday, has an elapsed time after eight of the rally’s 22 stages of 56 minutes, 5.9 seconds.
Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen was 18.4 seconds behind in second, followed by Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke, at 25.9 seconds in third.
There were two special combined asphalt-gravel stages in Coffs Harbour scheduled for later on Friday. The 354-kilometre rally ends on Sunday.

Ogier, who drives a Volkswagen Motorsport entry, came into the rally with a 75-point lead. There are three events remaining after Australia.
“We can say that the day was perfect,” Ogier said.
Mads Ostberg, in sixth place overall, said he hit a rock so hard the driver’s door of his Ford Fiesta flew open during the eighth stage.
“We almost went off the road into the trees,” Ostberg was quoted as saying on the WRC website.
“It’s a good job I hit it sideways because if I had hit it with the front of the car, that would have been it.”
 


Sebastien Ogier dominates Rally Australia

Sebastien Ogier's car during a road stage of the Rally Australia near Coffs Harbour, Australia on Friday. Photo: AP

Volkswagen driver Ogier looks out over Sydney Harbour as he prepares for the rally. Photo: AFP

Sport

Other Sport

French driver Sebastian Ogier leads Rally Australia and looks certain to clinch the World Rally Championships this weekend 


Sebastien Ogier dominates Rally Australia

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}French driver Sebastian Ogier leads Rally Australia and looks certain to clinch the World Rally Championships this weekend

French driver Sebastian Ogier leads Rally Australia and looks certain to clinch the World Rally Championships this weekend