Motorsports
Sardinia Slam Dunk for Ogier
Sebastien Ogier claimed his third win of the 2024 World Rally Championship (WRC) season after a gritty performance at the Rally of Sardinia, held over the weekend in Olbia, Italy.
The eight-time world champion, driving for Toyota, led the rally going into Sunday with a 17-second advantage over Hyundai’s Ott Tanak. Despite a tense moment on the final stage where he failed to make a tight corner and had to reverse, Ogier held on to take the win.
“In the ruts, I just couldn’t turn the car,” Ogier explained. “There was no speed at all, so I didn’t try to force it. I preferred to stop and reverse. Not ideal. Still, it was enough to win.”
This marks Ogier’s fifth career win in Sardinia and his 64th WRC victory overall. The result pushes him to second place in the drivers’ standings, just 19 points behind leader and teammate Elfyn Evans.
Evans, who encountered a delay due to a wheel change on Saturday, finished fourth. Despite missing the podium, he remained upbeat: “We have to be satisfied with this weekend. We’re in the championship battle with these guys. They were very fast.”
Ott Tanak closed the gap on Ogier to just 8 seconds but had to settle for second, while Finland’s Kalle Rovanpera finished third, about 50 seconds behind the leader. Rovanpera now trails Ogier by a single point in the overall standings.
Toyota’s dominance continues with six wins in six rounds this season. The team also repeated its podium lineup from the previous rally in Portugal.
Takamoto Katsuta, also driving for Toyota, rounded out the top five. Meanwhile, reigning champion Thierry Neuville of Hyundai went off-road on Stage 5 and struggled to recover, ending the rally in 19th place and out of the points.
Next up for the WRC is the Acropolis Rally in Greece, scheduled for late June.
Sebastien Ogier kept his World Rally Championship dream alive in Chile on Sunday, clinching his 66th career victory and tightening his grip on a possible record-equalling ninth world title.
The 41-year-old Frenchman, driving for Toyota, crossed the finish line 11 seconds ahead of teammate Elfyn Evans. The Welshman had been leading after Friday’s stages, but Ogier mastered the rain-soaked gravel on Saturday to seize control.
It was Ogier’s fifth win of the season, enough to lift him two points clear of Evans at the top of the drivers’ standings with only three rallies left on the calendar. Should he hold on, he will match the legendary Sebastien Loeb’s tally of nine titles.
The result also marked Toyota’s 10th win of the season, extending its cushion over Hyundai in the manufacturers’ standings and bringing the Japanese marque closer to a fifth straight team championship. Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux gave Hyundai some consolation by finishing third.
Ogier had initially planned to drive part-time this season, skipping three rallies. But once the title fight opened up in his favor, he decided to contest the remaining events. His back-to-back wins now mean he will take on the role of road opener at the next round, the Central European Rally on October 16 — an advantage on the tarmac.
Reflecting on the win, Ogier admitted it wasn’t all smooth sailing: “We had to fight a bit more, we had a little issue in the mornings as I was not awake but we can be pleased with the way we ended up. I’m happy with that and I’m looking forward to switching to tarmac.”
Lewis Hamilton’s dream start with Ferrari has turned into the toughest season of his Formula One career, with the Italian Grand Prix arriving as a crucial test of patience for fans and team alike.
The seven-time world champion joined Ferrari this year, sparking hope among the tifosi that their 18-year wait for a driver’s crown would end. Instead, Hamilton sits a staggering 200 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri after 15 races, without a single win or podium.
The Dutch Grand Prix capped off Ferrari’s misery. Hamilton spun in practice, then crashed out of the race alongside teammate Charles Leclerc. A five-place grid penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags only makes Monza harder.
Still, Hamilton insists he hasn’t lost his sense of pride in wearing red. At a fan event in Milan, he called it “special to remember I’m a Ferrari driver,” adding that the passion of supporters was “intense but very positive.”
Yet behind the optimism lies frustration. At Hungary, Hamilton even described himself as “completely useless,” fueling speculation about retirement. He admits the rollercoaster has been more volatile than expected, but hopes “the sun may be coming out on the brighter end of the tunnel.”
For now, Ferrari is a sideshow at their own home race. The season has been defined by McLaren’s domination, with Piastri and Lando Norris winning all but three races. Piastri leads Norris by 34 points, while Max Verstappen—second at Zandvoort—faces the reality of losing his grip on the title after four straight championships.
Monza may still roar for Ferrari, but unless Hamilton and Leclerc find form, the famous circuit will belong to McLaren’s rising stars.
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🏎️ FORMULA ONE: CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
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Formula One world championship standings ahead of this weekend’s
Dutch Grand Prix — the 15th round of the 24-race season.
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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE
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🏁 DRIVERS STANDINGS
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- Oscar Piastri (AUS) ………. 284 pts
- Lando Norris (GBR) ……….. 275
- Max Verstappen (NED) ……… 187
- George Russell (GBR) ……… 172
- Charles Leclerc (MON) …….. 151
- Lewis Hamilton (GBR) ……… 109
- Kimi Antonelli (ITA) ……… 64
- Alex Albon (THA) …………. 54
- Nico Hulkenberg (GER) …….. 37
- Esteban Ocon (FRA) ……….. 27
- Fernando Alonso (ESP) …….. 26
- Lance Stroll (CAN) ……….. 26
- Isack Hadjar (FRA) ……….. 22
- Pierre Gasly (FRA) ……….. 20
- Liam Lawson (NZL) ………… 20
- Carlos Sainz (ESP) ……….. 16
- Gabriel Bortoleto (BRA) …… 14
- Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) ……….. 10
- Oliver Bearman (GBR) ……… 8
- Franco Colapinto (ARG) ……. 0
- Jack Doohan (AUS) ………… 0
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🏆 CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS
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- McLaren …………………. 559 pts
- Ferrari …………………. 260
- Mercedes ………………… 236
- Red Bull ………………… 194
- Williams ………………… 70
- Aston Martin …………….. 52
- Sauber ………………….. 51
- Racing Bulls …………….. 45
- Haas ……………………. 35
- Alpine ………………….. 20
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