Toyota luxury freelancer Sébastien Ogier wins Rally Portugal

For several seasons, Sébastien Ogier has been only an intermittent player in the World Rally Championship (WRC). This in no way prevents him from shining as he did during his best years (eight world drivers' titles) when the Toyota team entrusted him, for a few events per season, with the wheel of one of its cars. The 41-year-old Frenchman confirmed this by winning the Rally of Portugal with his co-driver Vincent Landais on Sunday, May 18, after the fourth and final day of racing.

Toyota's luxury freelancer finished eight seconds ahead of Estonian Ott Tänak (Hyundai) and his Finnish teammate Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) by twelve seconds. Reigning world champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) finished fifth, ahead of provisional championship leader Elfyn Evans (Toyota) of Great Britain.

Having lurked behind Tänak for a long time, Ogier took the lead late on Saturday, taking advantage of a mechanical problem for the Estonian.

The Gapençais driver entered Sunday with a 27-second lead and was able to control the finish to claim his third podium in three races this season, following his success in Monte Carlo at the end of January and his second place in the Canary Islands at the end of April. Ogier thus claimed his ^63rd WRC victory, and his seventh in Portugal, a record. Sébastien Loeb's 80 victories, however, remain a distant memory.