WRC 2015 Round 3 MEXICO

                                                       

March 5th. It's already the first day of Round 3 for the WRC. Three rounds, three surfaces, three weathers. We leave the freezing land of Sweden to the warm and dusty stages of Guanajuato, Mexico. A much different environment means different approach and different challenges for teams, mechanics, drivers and cars. The car that will end this 3 rounds stint with a solid result will be also the more adaptable. Quality that nowhere else but in the WRC is crucial to be competitive.
 

The shakedown on Thursday is one of those that we like the most: three different cars in the three first spots. all within 2.5 seconds. With the rest of the group pushing from behind it feels like we'll experience a very entertaining four days show.

For the record, the unbeatable Ogier (VW) sets the pace, second is Neuville (Hyundai), third Meeke (Citroen).

Stages 1-5 are the logical result after the shakedown, with the three drivers above alternating on top, with two stage victories for Ogier and Neuville and one for Meeke who also crashes on SS04, as well as Robert Kubica, and drops to the bottom of the standings.

But the trophy for the most frightening crash today goes to Ott Tanak who ends up in a lake and sinks his Fiesta.  

After SS05 the virtual podium is occupied by Ogier, Neuville and Latvala. 

Stages 6-10 Ogier always protagonist with another two stage victories as well as his teammate Latvala. The remaining stage goes to Ostberg. Neuville, who was keeping up until SS07, ends SS08 prematurely and finds himself in P19 at the end of the stint.

The Italian driver Bertelli remarkably puts his Fiesta on the podium two times in the first ten stages.

Stages 11-13 on Saturday are the set up for another good bye to the chase for victory. This time the victim is Latvala who has to succumb to a suspension failure. 

The gap between Ogier and the rest of the group relentlessly opens up. The first of the chasers is now Ostberg but more than one minute away, followed by Mikkelsen.

Stages 14-18 Ogier is now out of reach for anyone so the focus turn on the fight for second position between the two Norwegian Ostberg and Mikkelsen with the second winnig stage 18 and closing at only 4.5 seconds from the compatriot.
Besides the usual double win from Ogier, the other two stages celebrate Kubica and the local driver Trivino.

Stages 19-21 are monopolized by the head-to-head for second position but the overall standing will stay frozen atleast for the first five positions.
It's Ogier the happiest at the end of the week, bringing home all the available points jumping to an impressive 81 points in three races. Ostberg, second, precedes Mikkelsen who sits on the lowest step of the podium for the third time in three races and he's still, today, the most credible contender to the crown even if 34 points behind the French.
Good result for Evans, fourth, and Dani Sordo fifth.

The dominion of the bond Ogier-Volkswagen is proving to be more solid after every stage. It will be hard for any of the other teams to come closer but the season is just unfolded and every corner in this discipline is crucial. Nobody can afford to loose focus even for a second.

Certainly we won't and we'll be back on April 23rd from Argentina for the next appointment in the calendar.

Stay tuned!  


Credits: Picture from motrface.com - Videos from WRC.com