Sebastien Ogier overhauled Elfyn Evans to claim a record-equalling ninth World Rally Championship title after emerging from a chaotic Rally Saudi Arabia final that was won by Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.
Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais sealed the title by finishing third, 1m03.3s behind outgoing champion Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe, as well as Hyundai team-mate Adrien Fourmaux, in one of the most dramatic season finales in WRC history.
Evans headed into the season finale with a slender three-point lead over Ogier with Kalle Rovanpera, contesting his final WRC round before moving to circuit racing next year, holding a slim chance of stealing the title 24 points adrift.
Ogier took the title to match the record nine wins set by Sebastien Loeb by four points, despite sitting out three rallies.
Ogier launched the attack on the final and took a first stage win of the rally as he inherited third position amid the chaos with offs, punctures throughout the event. Evans climbed to sixth but was 9.1s behind Ogier in the Super Sunday standings.
The pair were separated by five points ahead of the Power Stage. Evans went on the attack winning the Power Stage to finish sixth overall, but it wasn’t enough to deny Ogier the title.
While Ogier took the title, Neuville claimed a first win of the year heading a Hyundai 1-2 by 54.7s, with Pajari recovering to fourth ahead of Katsuta. The top 10 was completed by Rovanpera, M-Sport duo Gregoire Munster and Josh McErlean, and top Rally2 runner Oliver Solberg.
