Sebastien Ogier secures 3rd Rally Sweden victory in 2016 FIA WRC

Pictures courtesy Red Bull Content Pool

Reigning world champion Sebastien Ogier drove his Volkswagen Polo R to a 29.8sec success in the Karlstad-based snow and ice rally to add to his 2013 and 2015 triumphs. He was crowded champion of Rally Sweden, the second leg of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC)

Ogier also claimed full bonus points for winning the final Power Stage and after two of the 14 rounds the Frenchman has maximum championship points.

 A big thaw before the start threatened the season’s only pure winter rally as the frozen gravel roads turned to mud. By the time the cold weather returned, nine of the 21 speed tests in Sweden and Norway had been axed, but up to 10cm of snow and temperatures as low as -10°C ensured the event went ahead.

Ogier’s dominance was challenged during the second leg on February 13, 2016 when he had to sweep fresh snow from the roads to create a cleaner line for those behind. His half-minute lead was slashed to less than 10sec by Hayden Paddon before he reasserted his authority.

 “Two wins from the first two rallies – it can’t get any better. Yesterday was a little bit too crazy and I took risks like I had never done in my life,” said Ogier, who survived a massive sixth gear slide on the final day on February 14, 2016.

A holed radiator gave Paddon cause for concern after the Power Stage. “Conditions were terrible at the beginning of the week but the organisers did an impressive job so that we had a good rally,” he said. New Zealand’s Paddon matched his career-best result on his debut in Hyundai’s new i20 and became the first non-European driver to finish on the Sweden podium. He survived a late scare after hitting a wooden post metres from the finish of the last stage.