Frenchman Sébastien Ogier (Citroën) won for the fifth time the Rally Mexico, the third round of the 2019 World Championship in the discipline, achieving his second victory of the season.
The six-time world rally champion was followed by Estonian Ott Tänak (Toyota) at 30.2 seconds and Britain’s Elfyn Evans (M-Sport Ford) at 49.9 seconds. Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) came in fourth place 1:27 behind Ogier
Tanak continues to lead the 2019 World Cup with four points ahead of Ogier and ten points over Neuville.
This is Ogier’s fifth success in Mexico, after 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018 and he comes at the right time to forget the fiasco at Rally Sweden, in which he abandoned on the second day and finished in 29th place.
Ogier had taken the lead on Friday in Guanajuato favored by the abandonment of the hitherto leader, the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen (Hyundai), to increase his lead on Saturday despite a day with setbacks (puncture, special neutralization, off the road without severity, technical damage) and resist the onslaught of Tänak on Sunday (author of two best times in special stages).
Final classification of the Rally Mexico:
1. Sébastien Ogier-Julien Ingrassia (FRA / Citroën C3) 3h37: 08.0
2. Ott Tänak-Martin Järveoja (EST / Toyota Yaris) at 30.2
3. Elfyn Evans-Scott Martin (GBR / Ford Fiesta) at 49.9
4. Thierry Neuville-Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL / Hyundai i20) at 1: 27.0
5. Kris Meeke-Sebastian Marshall (GBR / Toyota Yaris) at 6:06.2
6. Benito Guerra-Jaime Zapata (MEX / Skoda Fabia R5) at 15: 35.5 (WRC2)
7. Marco Bulacia-Fabian Cretu (BOL-ARG / Skoda Fabia R5) at 18: 51.5 (WRC2)
8. Jari-Matti Latvala-Miikka Anttila (FIN / Toyota Yaris) at 18: 55.9
9. Dani Sordo-Carlos del Barrio (ESP / Hyundai i20) at 22: 44.1
10. Ricardo Triviño-Marc Martí (MEX-ESP / Skoda Fabia R5) at 30: 13.8
11. Andreas Mikkelsen-Anders Jaeger (NOR / Hyundai i20) at 36: 35.1
Power Stage Classification (ES21):
1. Sébastien Ogier (5 pts)
2. Kris Meeke (4)
3. Thierry Neuville (3)
4. Dani Sordo (2)
5. Esapekka Lappi (1)
Best times in special stages: Lappi 1 (ES1), Mikkelsen 3 (ES2, ES4, ES16), Ogier 7 (ES3, ES5, ES6, ES8, ES12 ex aequo, ES13, ES21), Tänak 6 (ES7, ES9 ex aequo, ES14, ES15, ES19, ES20), Neuville 2 (ES9 ex aequo, ES17), Meeke 1 (ES10), Latvala 2 (ES11, ES12 ex aequo), Deaf 1 (ES18)
Drivers’ World Championship standings:
1. Ott Tänak (EST / Toyota) 65 pts
2. Sébastien Ogier (FRA / Citroën) 61
3. Thierry Neuville (Bel / Hyundai) 55
4. Kris Meeke (GBR / Toyota) 35
5. Elfyn Evans (GBR / M-Sport Ford) 28
6. Esapekka Lappi (FIN / Citroën) 20
7. Sébastien Loeb (FRA / Hyundai) 18
8. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN / Toyota) 14
9. Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR / Hyundai) 12
…
15. Dani Sordo (ESP / Hyundai) 4
19. Teemu Suninen (FIN / M-Sport Ford) 1
Constructors’ World Championship standings:
1. Toyota 86 pts
2. Citroën 78
3. Hyundai 77
4. M-Sport Ford 45