Jari-Matti Latvala took his first win of the 2015 WRC season by holding off his Volkswagen Motorsport team mate Sébastien Ogier at the Rally de Portugal.
In the last three rounds of the championship, Latvala failed to even score points. In Portugal the 30 year old Finn finished 8.2 seconds ahead of the Ogier in the four day gravel event to claim his first victory since last October. It was his 13th career win for the Finnish driver who had a clear road conditions to take the lead on Friday afternoon which no one could take away from him. Despite overshooting a junction on Sunday morning, Latvala saw off challenges from firstly Kris Meeke and then Ogier to climb from ninth to fifth in the drivers’ championship.
Ogier finished in second to extend his championship lead to 42 points after round five of 13.The third VW Motorsport driver Andreas Mikkelsen completed the podium a further 20.4sec behind Ogier, to provide a clean sweep of the top three for Volkswagen Motorsport with its Polo R car.
“After the last three rallies some people were doubting if I would come back,” said Latvala. “It was one of the worst situations in my rally career so to come and win here is unique. I really appreciate this victory feeling.”
Meeke finished 20.1sec behind the Norwegian but the Northern Irishman was the only man able to challenge Volkswagen’s trio after his first rally victory of his career in Argentina.
The sixth round will take place on another all gravel track at the Rally Italia Sardengna from June 11- 14.
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