MOTORSPORT: Mikkelsen claims Coffs WRC finale

Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen won the final round of the 2016 World Rally Championship at Coffs Harbour on the weekend with a commanding display of skill that encapsulated Volkswagen’s dominance of the sport for the last four years.

Meantime, Molly Taylor made history as the first woman to win the Australian Rally Championship after taking the podium at Kennards Hire Rally Australia held in conjunction with the WRC today.

The 28-year-old Sydneysider and co-driver Bill Hayes won the Kumho Tyre ARC round of the three-day event at the end of their first season in a factory-supported Subaru Impreza.

Mark Pedder of Melbourne was on course to win the rally in a Peugeot 208 Maxi, but was relegated to second place after receiving a one-minute penalty for arriving late at a time control on the penultimate stage; he finished 39.3sec. behind Taylor. Harry Bates of Canberra came third in a Toyota Corolla S2000.

Taylor started the event in the middle of the tightest three-way battle in championship history. She trailed four-time champion Simon Evans by five points and was one point ahead of 21-year-old Bates.

Back at the front, Mikkelsen held the fastest overall time throughout the Australian round of the WRC except for when New Zealand driver Hayden Paddon set an exceptionally fast time on the grueling 50.8km Nambucca stage.

Mikkelsen extended his slender two-second overnight lead early this morning by winning the first three of five stages for the day to claim 10 of the event's 23 and his third career WRC rally win.

Teammate and four-times world rally champ Sebastien Ogier, who has already comfortably won the 2016 WRC drivers' championship, was closing in on Mikkelsen to take top step of the podium until he had a spin on the Bucca stage.

This gave Mikkelsen a clear 22-second lead that couldn’t be closed. Even though Ogier lost considerable time, he won the final two stages in characteristic fighting style, but remained 14.9sec short when the rally finished on the Wedding Bells stage just north of Coffs Harbour.

Hyundai Motorsport driver Paddon started the day in third, close on the heels of Ogier, however, a calamitous slide into a mid-corner bank knocked his rear left tyre off its rim and wrecked Paddon’s chances of a podium finish.

Paddon’s incident allowed teammate, Belgium’s Thierry Neuville, to finish third a further 57.7sec behind in his Hyundai and secure second place in the drivers' championship, while Mikkelsen’s win put him just six points shy of Neuville in third.

“This is a perfect end to the season,” Mikkelsen said of his win.

“All year consistency and pace was our aim with the championship in mind, but I came here with nothing to lose. I could go flat out and see what we could do.

“We challenged the world champion and beat him fair and square on the same road conditions.

"I’m sorry for Seb, but he won so many times, this was my turn."

Following the team’s 43rd win from 52 rallies, Volkswagen Motorsport won its fourth consecutive manufacturers' championship this year, but the victory was bitter-sweet for the German marque's racers, who now look to an unknown future next year without a drive.

"It’s my best victory but it’s sad to see this team and the car come to an end," said Mikkelsen.

There are some really mixed emotions sitting here. For sure I have probably done my best ever rally and to finish my career with Volkswagen with a win is an amazing feeling. To be able to give this to the team, I can’t be more proud. But I’m also sad to see it all disappear."

Current champion Ogier will meet with Ford M-Sport and Toyota to test and discuss options next week, and even Citroen has expressed interest in him even though its three-driver team for next year is firm.

Volkswagen drivers Mikkelsen and Jari-Matti Latvala have not confirmed if they will be meeting with other teams.

The future for rival Hyundai Motorsport is brighter, with all three current drivers contracted for next year and its 2017 WRC regulation development car ready to be unveiled in Monza on December 1.

Talking with motoring.com.au, Hyundai driver Neuville said he was sure the new i20 race car was an improvement compared to the current vehicle and that Volkswagen’s departure from the competition may open the door to the Korean team’s first ever WRC title win.

“This year's experience with the new i20 was quite positive," he said. "We struggled with some things on the car that we couldn’t get right, so we try to make it better on the new car for 2017, and it feels good.

“As a driver it's good, for sure. We will have a competitive car next year and the most competitive team has gone. I would say if it’s good for someone, it's good for Hyundai.

"We have three strong drivers, we have a good car and we finished second in the championship this year with the manufacturers. So if you want to do better it’s to beat VW and VW is not there so let's see.”

The 2017 World Rally Championship begins in January next year and will see Citroen re-enter after a year off, while Toyota comes back to competition after a 16-year absence.

Organisers said that despite sweltering and dusty conditions the 25th Rally Australia was the most successful since the event moved to the NSW Coffs Coast in 2011.

This year's event attracted the biggest entry list since 2009, big crowds packed the stages -- especially the waterfront Destination NSW Super Special Stage – and Coffs Harbour accommodation was sold out for its duration.

Kennards Hire Rally Australia results:
1. A Mikkelsen / A Jager (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) 2:46:05.7
2. S Ogier / J Ingrassia (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) +14.9
3. T Neuville / N Gilsoul (Hyundai New Generation i20 WRC) +1:12.6
4. H Paddon / J Kennard (Hyundai New Generation i20 WRC) +1:26.7
5. D Sordo / M Martí (Hyundai New Generation i20 WRC) +1:28.3
6. M Østberg / O Floene (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +1:41.5
7. O Tanak / R Molder (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +3:04.3
8. E Lappi / J Ferm (Škoda Fabia R5) +7:32.3
9. JM Latvala / M Anttila (Volkswagen Polo R WRC) +7:56.9
10. L Bertelli / S Scattolin (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +8:00.1

2016 FIA WRC for Drivers (after Rd13):
1. S Ogier 268 points
2. T Neuville 160
3. A Mikkelsen 154
4. H Paddon 138
5. D Sordo 130
6. JM Latvala 112
7. M Østberg 102
8. O Tanak 88
9. K Meeke 64
10. C Breen 36

2016 FIA WRC for Manufacturers (after Rd13):
1. Volkswagen Motorsport 377 points
2. Hyundai Motorsport 312
3. Volkswagen Motorsport II 163
4. M-Sport World Rally Team 162
5. Hyundai Motorsport N 146