Rally GB 2017
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And here's the final report from an incredible weekend that settled the outcome of an incredible WRC season. We'll be back in Live mode with Formula 1's Mexican Grand Prix at 7pm UK time, but that's it for our Live World Rally Championship coverage: 
David Evans
Here's Malcolm Wilson talking to Autosport's DAVID EVANS - and fibbing about the emotional stuff, as he's crying his eyes out:
"I'm not as emotional as I could be. I just can't believe the job that everybody's done. Seb, Elfyn, the whole year, the team. I can't put into words what commitment and effort everybody's put in to achieving this incredible dream - drivers', manufacturers' and Elfyn winning the rally.
"I definitely will not forget this. It was just unbelievable."
"I'm not as emotional as I could be. I just can't believe the job that everybody's done. Seb, Elfyn, the whole year, the team. I can't put into words what commitment and effort everybody's put in to achieving this incredible dream - drivers', manufacturers' and Elfyn winning the rally.
"I definitely will not forget this. It was just unbelievable."
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And here's the rally result:
1 Evans
2 Neuville +37.3s
3 Ogier +45.2s
4 Mikkelsen +49.8s
5 Latvala +50.3s
6 Tanak +1m02.3s
7 Meeke +1m20.5s
8 Paddon +2m16.3s
9 Lappi +2m46.5s
10 Sordo +3m50.5s
(15 Breen +12m58.7s)
1 Evans
2 Neuville +37.3s
3 Ogier +45.2s
4 Mikkelsen +49.8s
5 Latvala +50.3s
6 Tanak +1m02.3s
7 Meeke +1m20.5s
8 Paddon +2m16.3s
9 Lappi +2m46.5s
10 Sordo +3m50.5s
(15 Breen +12m58.7s)
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Right. Here's the powerstage result:
1 Neuville 4m01.2s
2 Meeke +1.5s
3 Latvala +1.6s
4 Ogier +1.9s
5 Mikkelsen +2.0s
6 Breen +2.0s
1 Neuville 4m01.2s
2 Meeke +1.5s
3 Latvala +1.6s
4 Ogier +1.9s
5 Mikkelsen +2.0s
6 Breen +2.0s
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"It's been a good rally," says Evans.
Well that's an understatement.
"I'm very, very grateful to everyone who's stuck by me through the years. This is for them."
A year ago he wasn't even competing here. An incredible career turnaround.
Well that's an understatement.
"I'm very, very grateful to everyone who's stuck by me through the years. This is for them."
A year ago he wasn't even competing here. An incredible career turnaround.
Evans and co-driver Dan Barritt are mobbed by friends and family, then climb atop their Ford Fiesta to celebrate an amazing first win.
The M-Sport crew goes nuts all over again.
Checkered flag
Eighth on the powerstage for Evans gives him Rally GB victory by 37.3s!
M-Sport has taken Ogier to the drivers' title, won the manufacturers' title, and taken Evans and DMACK to a first WRC win.
What a day in Wales.
M-Sport has taken Ogier to the drivers' title, won the manufacturers' title, and taken Evans and DMACK to a first WRC win.
What a day in Wales.
Evans's split time is thoroughly adequate.
One more World Rally Car to go. It's a black and white Ford on DMACKs. It's got a Welshman in it.
Elfyn Evans, you're four minutes away from winning Rally GB.
Elfyn Evans, you're four minutes away from winning Rally GB.
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Neuville cruises to a halt. He's got a great shot at being championship runner-up now, but that's not what he was hoping for as he dominated so many rallies.
"I got the message a couple of seconds before the start, but I still tried to enjoy it," says Neuville. "We knew it was going to be difficult to be world champion this year after what happened to us.
"Congratulations to Seb. World title again. He must be happy."
"I got the message a couple of seconds before the start, but I still tried to enjoy it," says Neuville. "We knew it was going to be difficult to be world champion this year after what happened to us.
"Congratulations to Seb. World title again. He must be happy."
Neuville goes fastest so far on the powerstage, by 1.5s over Meeke.
Ogier's down to fourth fastest, but it doesn't matter.
Ogier's down to fourth fastest, but it doesn't matter.
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Stopwatch
Neuville is pretty emphatically fastest at the powerstage split with Ogier guaranteed at least two bonus points here it won't be enough.
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"I don't know what to say," says Ogier. "It's been a tough year for sure but it's just incredible. Thank you so much to the M-Sport team and Malcolm. It's amazing to be world champion with this team."
And Neuville starts the stage knowing that he won't be champion this year.
The M-Sport team goes wild in the service park. Ogier sits in the car for a moment, does the maths, lets it sink in and then leaps onto the roof of the Ford Fiesta.
Title number five. An extraordinary moment for Ogier, Julien Ingrassia and M-Sport.
Title number five. An extraordinary moment for Ogier, Julien Ingrassia and M-Sport.
Ogier is third fastest on the powerstage with only two cars to go, he seals at least third place in the rally, he will be the 2017 World Rally champion!
Ogier approaches the stage finish...
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Ogier is second fastest on the stage at the split, just behind Latvala's mark there...
Two more cars to come after Ogier - Neuville and Evans - so if Ogier is third quickest so far, he can't be knocked out of the powerstage points.
One powerstage point will do it for Ogier, IF he stays third overall.
Ogier has begun the powerstage. Calculators, biros and paper ready.
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"I just tried to go as fast as I could, but not really a perfect stage," says Mikkelsen. "Some mistakes here and there, and a really hard hit that knocked the steering wheel out of my hands. We have done our best today, there's not so mcuch more we can do."
Meeke is still fastest on the powerstage though, by 0.1s over Latvala and 0.5s over Mikkelsen.
Mikkelsen comes in 0.4s slower than Latvala, but that's not enough for the Toyota - it's Mikkelsen fourth and Latvala fifth!
And will either jump Ogier here...?
And will either jump Ogier here...?
Mikkelsen is 0.2s off Latvala at the split...
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"I gave absolutely everything, I can't go faster," says Latvala.
Not quite a powerstage win for Latvala, though. He's second fastest to Meeke, 0.1s down.
Latvala began this stage fifth, but only 0.9s behind Mikkelsen - who won't be hanging around either.
Latvala began this stage fifth, but only 0.9s behind Mikkelsen - who won't be hanging around either.
Stopwatch
Latvala is going for it - he's fastest at the split.
Tanak backs it right off at the end of the stage to make sure he doesn't take any powerstage points that Ogier might require. He still has enough in hand to secure sixth overall and M-Sport's championship.
"They really deserve this," he says.
"They really deserve this," he says.
Tanak's time at the split isn't a stunner. His title hopes are seemingly over, but to have even been in championship contention this season is a huge career breakthrough.
And the sixth place he's about to wrap up will secure M-Sport's astonishing manufacturers' title.
And the sixth place he's about to wrap up will secure M-Sport's astonishing manufacturers' title.
Meeke's pretty pleased with that. He'll be around half a minute away from the podium fight at the end but considering he lost a bit of time with an error yesterday and half his rear wing fell off, he could've been in the thick of the group ahead.
Stopwatch
Meeke is fastest so far, 0.5s up on Breen.
We're getting closer to the big moment. Meeke is on the stage now.
He says the Citroen's pretty good today. A powerstage win would be a nifty way to sign off a home event that's only going to bring seventh overall.
He says the Citroen's pretty good today. A powerstage win would be a nifty way to sign off a home event that's only going to bring seventh overall.
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"Can't really be happy with the weekend but there's a lot of learning we can take from it," says Paddon.
"At the moment we need to sort out a lot of things in the background. We need to try to get that sorted before Australia."
"At the moment we need to sort out a lot of things in the background. We need to try to get that sorted before Australia."
By: Matt Beer
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