Sebastien Ogier Triumphs at Rally Finland After Kalle Rovanpera's Mishap

Sebastien Ogier clinched victory at Rally Finland following Kalle Rovanpera's crash on the penultimate stage. Despite leading by 45.8 seconds, reigning double world champion Rovanpera hit a rock and crashed out. Ogier claimed his 61st rally win, with Neuville and Fourmaux finishing second and third respectively.

Sebastien Ogier secured a dramatic win at Rally Finland on Sunday after his Toyota teammate Kalle Rovanpera crashed out on the penultimate stage. Rovanpera, aiming for his first home victory, led by 45.8 seconds before the accident.

The 23-year-old's crash, resulting from clipping a large rock just 2 km from the stage's end, handed the lead to eight-time world champion Ogier. This marked Ogier's 61st rally victory and his second in Finland since 2013. Hyundai's Thierry Neuville finished second, while M-Sport Ford's Adrien Fourmaux secured third place.

Ogier expressed mixed feelings about the win, stating, "A win in Finland is always nice but that is not the way we like to have it. Very sorry for Kalle and Jonne (Halttunen)." Neuville leads the drivers' championship with 168 points, followed by Ogier with 141 and Hyundai's Ott Tanak with 137 points. Hyundai leads Toyota by 20 points in the manufacturers' standings.