MOTORSPORT: Rallying’s big O delivers for Citroen

Citroen has won two of the first three rounds of the World Rally Championship after bringing six-time world champion Sebastien Ogier back into its fold to drive its C3.

Despite an early crash at last month’s Rally Sweden and scoring only four points there, Ogier is now back hot on the heels of Toyota’s championship leader, Estonian Ott Tanak.

And Citroen, rather than Hyundai, has become the main challenger to Toyota, the reigning champion manufacturer, while M-Sport Ford, champions two years ago, now rank only fourth without Ogier.

The Frenchman took victory in the heat and altitude of Mexico at the weekend, with Tanak’s Yaris finishing half a minute behind on the gravel. The Estonian had to attack hard from the outset on the final day to relegate Welshman Elfyn Evans and his Ford Fiesta to third.

Thierry Neuville, the Belgian who has become the regular championship bridesmaid, was the best of Hyundai’s three drivers in fourth despite being off-colour, with Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen and Spaniard Dani Sordo on the pace early but only 11th and ninth respectively at the end.

It was the 46th victory for Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia and their fifth in Mexico, where they made their WRC debut in 2008. They have won world titles the past six years – the first four with Volkswagen, then two with M-Sport-Ford.

Tanak and Evans had the least trouble of the top drivers in Mexico, although the Estonian had to ‘plough’ a clean line on the course as the first on the road in the early stages, while the Citroen overcame a diff problem and a trip into a tyre wall on Saturday night for Ogier to collect the maximum 30 points by winning the final Power Stage.

Victor at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally too, Ogier now has 61 points to Rally Sweden winner Tanak’s 65, with Neuville on 55, Ulsterman Kris Meeke on 35 in his first season with Toyota (and now profusely apologetic to Citroen for having accused it of ‘dirty tactics’ at the weekend), and Evans has 28. On the manufacturer points table, Toyota has 86, Citroen 78, Hyundai 77 and M-Sport Ford 45.

Next up is the first all-asphalt round of the season, the Tour de Corse on French island Corsica at the end of this month.

Australia’s Will Power claimed pole position for the IndyCar opener at St Petersburg, Florida, for the eighth time in 10 years but couldn’t convert it to victory on race day.

Team boss Roger Penske – who revealed at the weekend he received a kidney transplant from his eldest son, Greg, 18 months ago – erred by calling Power in for an early pitstop.

Penske lieutenant Tim Cindric got the strategy right for the team’s American driver, Josef Newgarden, who won from Chip Ganassi Racing’s New Zealander Scott Dixon with Power third.

The first Australian to win the Indianapolis 500 last year and the IndyCar series champion in 2014, Power said that being outgunned by Swedish rookie Felix Rosenqvist at the first restart had been decisive, although he subsequently nudged the new Ganassi driver out of the final podium spot.

Newgarden’s success was the 204th for Team Penske in Indy racing and a welcome return to victory lane for engine supplier Chevrolet after going winless on the series’ temporary street courses last year.

US-based Australian James Davison confirmed at the weekend he will tackle the Indianapolis 500 for the fifth time in May, driving a Honda-powered third entry from Dale Coyne Racing.

The result of the 50th Formula E electric open-wheeler race was overturned hours after the chequered flag.

Envision Virgin Racing’s British driver Sam Bird had crossed the finish line first in Hong Kong but was given a 5-second penalty for clouting Chinese team DS Techeetah’s German driver, Andre Lotterer, who had been leading in the closing stages.

Lotterer’s right rear tyre was punctured and he became the last of the classified finishers in 14th, while a maiden victory went to Monaco-based, Mercedes related Venturi Racing’s Swiss-Italian driver Edoardo Mortaro. Bird dropped to sixth – although he still went to the top of the points table, scoring an extra one for fastest lap (a system that will apply in Formula 1 this year too).

Lotterer accused Bird of a “disgusting move” and DS Techeetah protested that the penalty on him was not enough. However, the stewards said “the outcome of an incident is not taken into account when considering a penalty, only the incident itself on its merits”.

Sydney speedway racer Ian Madsen had a big triumph in the US at the weekend as the World of Outlaws sprintcar series began its western sweep.

Rookie of the year in the series last year, and already with three wins over there before this season, Madsen was the stand-out all night at the short Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California.

In beating championship leader Daryn Pittman and leading all 35 laps of the feature race, Madsen lapped the field up to 11th place and was catching 10th-placed – and 10-time series champion – Donny Schatz at the end.

“Just unreal … pretty awesome,” Madsen said.