Spaniard Daniel “Dani” Sordo claimed his first ever World Rally Championship victory at the weekend when he edged out Belgian rival Thierry Neuville in the final moments of the tarmac-only Rally Deutschland at the weekend.
Sordo’s maiden win, from 106 starts, came after a duel with Neuville which came to a head on the final stage after Sordo and co-driver Carlos del Barrio started the last special with a 3,0 second advantage. Unfortunately, Neuville’s Qatar World Rally Team Ford Fiesta deviated slightly from the narrow track with just 3 km to go, leaving the Spaniards’ Citroën DS3 to take the win by almost a minute.
“It’s a great moment for me. Thierry was pushing so hard. He was a little slower than me at first but then he was faster so I needed to push harder. I was so nervous at the start but this win is something I’ve dreamed of for many years,” Sordo said afterward.
Finns Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen were third in another DS3, and ultimately happy with their position given that tarmac is the driver’s least favourite surface – and helped net Citroën a good points haul for the weekend.
Volkswagen, however, had a dismal few days in south-west Germany after championship leader Sebastien Ogier crashed out during the second stage on day one after leading early on. Teammate Jari-Matti Latvala took up the charge with Sordo and Neuville battling behind him, but crashed out too. In the end, they finished 17th and seventh respectively.
Jipocar Czech National Team’s Martin Prokop and Michal Ernst finished fourth, with WRC 2 contender and former F1 competitor Robert Kubica in fifth overall.
The next round of the World Rally Championship, Rally Australia, happens in and around Coffs Harbour in the New South Wales region from 13-15 September.
