WRC points leader Sebastien Ogier crashes out of Rally Portugal
World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Ogier has crashed out of Rally Portugal on the opening stage of Friday afternoon's loop
Ogier was running first on the road in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta when he crashed midway through the Viana do Castelo test after sliding off the road.
The five-time world champion appeared to clip a bank with the front-right of his Fiesta in the stage, then got off line onto loose gravel approaching the next left-handed corner and slid down a bank into a section of trees.
Co-driver Julien Ingrassia retrieved the car's warning triangle as he and Ogier climbed from the Fiesta.
M-Sport confirmed both Ogier and Ingrassia were OK but that the car would take no further part in Friday's stages.
Ogier had sat fourth in the order after the morning's opening loop.
"He had an incredible run this morning," said M-Sport team principal Malcolm Wilson. "To be first on the road and lying fourth was just terrific.
"You could see he was obviously pushing on the TV because he wanted to be as high up as he could be for the road position tomorrow.
"[I] don't know exactly yet what's happened - whether something's broken or he got on some loose [surface] on the outside of the corner.
"We've just got to hope the car's not too badly damaged and we can get it out tomorrow."
Kris Meeke regained the lead of the rally on SS5, leading a Citroen one-two on the stage from Mads Ostberg.
He now leads the Hyundais of Dani Sordo and Hayden Paddon.
Ogier's closest championship challenger Thierry Neuville, who is 10 points behind the M-Sport man in the standings, lies sixth and is 16.6 seconds behind the rally leader.
WRC Rally of Portugal: Dani Sordo leads ahead of Kris Meeke
WRC Rally Portugal: Thierry Neuville moves into lead amid chaos
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
How Rovanpera overcame rallying royalty in Portugal to extend his WRC lead
Although the Rally Portugal entry list featured World Rally Championship royalty in Sebastiens Loeb and Ogier, victory was secured by rallying's rising star in Kalle Rovanpera. Here's the story of his 2022 hat-trick, as his key rivals faltered among the gravel and asphalt ahead of them
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Autosport donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a rally mechanic
The African McRae aiming to become a WRC pioneer
Taking his first step into the Junior World Rally Championship category, McRae Kimathi - named after 1995 world champion Colin - found himself in the unfamiliar climes of Sweden's snow and ice. Having impressed, Kimathi hopes to blaze a trail to the top level of WRC and help other African drivers to step onto the ladder
How Rovanpera grabbed the Rally Sweden spotlight after the Loeb vs Ogier show
After a blockbuster opening act to the new era of the World Rally Championship with the battle of the Sebastiens at Monte Carlo, Rally Sweden would be the first chance to assess the next superstar of rallying. While teething issues with the new hybrid power thwarted some of the cast, Kalle Rovanpera’s display gave him headline billing