Champ Ogier makes strong start to Wales Rally GB

France's Sebastien Ogier looks in the mood to finish off his title-winning campaign with one last victory as he clocked the joint-fastest time in Thursday's shakedown at the Wales Rally GB.

Ogier secured his third successive World Rally Championship title in September and he got things under way at the 2015 season finale in Wales in fine style, tying at the top of the times with his Finnish Volkswagen team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala.

Britain's Kris Meeke, driving for Citroen, was third, 0.3 seconds further back, with Hyundai's Thierry Neuville of Belgium another two-tenths behind.

Meanwhile, another Volkswagen driver, Norway's Andreas Mikkelsen, was absent from the action having had to fly to Germany to visit the team's doctor.

Mikkelsen, who notched his maiden WRC victory last month in Spain and is third in the overall standings behind Ogier and Latvala, had felt unwell on Wednesday.
Source: AFP