Ogier clinches record sixth Rally of Portugal win

English Woman's Journal - Ogier clinches record sixth Rally of Portugal win

Ogier clinches record sixth Rally of Portugal win / Photo: MIGUEL RIOPA - AFP

The French driver, behind the wheel of a Toyota Yaris, moved one ahead of Finland's Markku Alen, a five-time champion with Fiat and Lancia in the 1970s and 1980s.

"I had nothing against being tied with Markku Alen," said Ogier, also a winner in Portugal in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017.

"He is a legend, but I heard for many years 'when will you beat this record?'

"It was not a great weekend for the whole team, but it was a good rally for us and I am glad we could bring some points."

Ogier, who is only racing part-time in the 2024 world championship, finished 7.9 seconds clear of Ott Tanak to salvage an otherwise challenging weekend for his team.

Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanpera, a teammate of Ogier at Toyota, crashed out on Saturday after Japan's Takamoto Katsuta saw his hopes hit by a broken suspension.

Championship leader Thierry Neuville of Belgium came a distant third overall, but stretched his lead over Elfyn Evans to 24 points after five of 13 events.

Evans was more than six minutes off the pace in sixth place in the other Toyota.

Rally of Portugal results

1. Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (FRA/Toyota) 3h41min 32.3sec, 2. Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (EST/Hyundai) +7.9sec, 3. Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL/Hyundai) +1min 09.8sec, 4. Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (FRA/Ford) +1min 47.8sec, 5. Daniel Sordo/Candido Carrera (ESP/Hyundai) +2min 48.9 sec

World championship standings (after five legs of 13)

Drivers

1. Thierry Neuville (BEL) 110 pts, 2. Elfyn Evans (GBR) 86, 3. Ott Tanak (EST) 79, 4. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA) 71, 5. Sebastien Ogier (FRA) 70

L.Ross--EWJ

Paul George Scores 36 as Celtics Defeat Sixers 123-101 to Take East Lead

The Boston Celtics claimed first place in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday night, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Paul George led all scorers with 36 points in his return to Philadelphia, while a decisive third-quarter run extended Boston's lead and dropped the Sixers to second place.

Mets President David Stearns Expresses Confidence in Marcus Semien's Motivation

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has identified Marcus Semien’s self-motivation as the primary factor in his potential recovery from an underwhelming debut season. Speaking at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas, Stearns affirmed that the team remains confident in Semien’s ability to improve, even as they evaluate other infield options for next year.

FA Cup Second-Round Draw Confirmed for Non-League and Midlands Clubs

The FA Cup second-round draw has been finalized, setting up crucial ties for non-league teams aiming to reach the third round proper. Several clubs from the Midlands, including Burton Albion and Kidderminster Harriers, have secured their next opponents following recent victories over lower-league opposition.

Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium

The new Penrith Stadium is expected to be ready in time for the opening round of the 2027 NRL season, but it’s still likely the Panthers is expected to be on the road for their early matches. There is no delay to the build of the new $309 million venue but there’s a lack of appetite for risk around weather delays through the summer.