WRC 2019: Rallye Monte-Carlo

The world's best lineup of drivers and teams have ever assembled at Monte Carlo for the opener of the 2019 World Rally Championship. Last year's champion Toyota, Citroen, Ford, and Hyundai are back to get into their dirty business once again and for a bigger surprise, the WRC 2019 welcomes back legendary nine-time World Champion Sebastien Loeb, this time he drives for Hyundai.

Beginning on Thursday leg of the event, Ott Tanak, representing last year's champion Toyota, headed world champion Sébastien Ogier by 9.1 seconds after two typically contrasting night-time stages near Gap while Thierry Neuville was 14.3 seconds off the lead in third. Friday leg of the event sees Ogier gaining momentum after an icy duel in the French Alps. Saturday leg of the event sees Ogier and Neuville return fire at each other in the fight for the lead and then in the Sunday leg of the race, Ogier is the winner.

Sebastien Ogier, now representing Citroen, wins the Rally Monte-Carlo with an impressive overall time of 3:21:15.9, 2.2 seconds ahead of rival Thierry Neuville of Hyundai. Tanak, meanwhile, finished 3rd at the overall time of  3:23:31.1.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW7FLM1xMSM&list=PLODyu6T9_emwPxpdxd6AV-ndk0F2dx-9N

The next event of the WRC 2019 is the Rally Sweden on the 14th to the 17th of February, 2019.

WRC 2018: Kennards Hire Rally Australia

This is where everything ends in the 2018 World Rally Championship as the Kennards Hire Rally Australia event will decide who will be the victor of this year's WRC and with Ogier and Neuville are hounding each other for the title, this could be the finale that decide the fate of these drivers.

Beginning in Friday's stages, Sebastien Ogier took a significant advantage over rival Thierry Neuville, who dropped almost 45 seconds in the final forest road speed test during Friday's stages. In Saturday's stages, meanwhile, title-chasing rival Ott Tanak stormed into the lead in what was becoming his last-dtich effort to salvage his title bid. However, in Sunday stages, Tanak failed after a crash but Toyota managed to score a Constructor's Championship win as Sebastien Ogier scored his sixth championship title win after a chaotic Australia finale.

What a way for Ogier to say goodbye to M-Sport Ford World Rally Team after two years by delivering a much-needed sendoff he needs for the Fiesta before next year's switch to Citroen Racing.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV9KnYbaZzo&list=PLODyu6T9_emxNbQ4xfoj_eU0TQ8NGUyJ9

Congratulations to Sebastien Ogier for his sixth WRC championship win and for Toyota for nicking their Constructor's Championship win. And that is the end of the 2018 World Rally Championship. See you next year!

WRC 2018: Rally De España

The penultimate event of the 2018 World Rally Championship, the Rally RACCRally Catalunya - Rally De España is becoming one surprising event in the WRC calendar because for the first time since a lifetime, a legend roars back in the rally stage in a way fans never saw it coming.

Beginning on Friday's stages, Sebastien Ogier wins the opening stage but Ott Tanak dominates Friday's stages with a near 30-second lead. In Saturday's stages, Jari-Matti Latvala survived the thriller as the top six covered by 16.5 seconds. And on Sunday's stages, this is where the big surprise kicked in.

The 9-time World Rally Champion, currently a World RX driver, Sebastien Loeb, claimed hist first WRC victory for over five years. His final special guest appearance at this season is quite a spectacle for rally fans everywhere. Ogier, meanwhile, finished in second place by 2.9 seconds behind Loeb. Elfyn Evans finished 3rd.

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp0T449JrMc&list=PLODyu6T9_emz5sfDq2wlqscf1v6jfSw2g

Don't miss the WRC 2018 finale, the Kennards Hire Rally Australia, on the 15th to 18th of November, 2018. With Ogier and Neuville are hounding each other for the title, who will emerged as the winner of the 2018 WRC? Find out soon in the finale.

WRC 2018: Dayinsure Wales Rally

The 2018 World Rally Championship continues at Wales for the Dayinsure Wales Rally and this weekend thriller in the Welsh countryside shows that the WRC is getting more interesting from start to finish as all the drama, all the suspense, and all the action in Britain unfolds as drivers will give everything they got to get through the most challenging stages in Britain.

Beginning at Friday's stages, Toyota driver Ott Tanak shows signs of dominance in stages two to six but in Saturday's stages, his reign as the rally leader ended unexpectedly when mechanical issues prompted the Estonian out of the race, giving way to Sebastien Ogier, and managed to fought all the way to Sunday where he was crowned the winner of the Dayinsure Wales Rally after a knife-edge lead fight against Jari-Matti Latvala. Completing the podium is Esapekka Lappi.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncK0Lw8IGMI&list=PLODyu6T9_emyKUqjSXkO2Jd4Pqz69txCl

With only two events to go, the penultimate WRC 2018 event, the Rally De España, begins on the 25th to the 28th of October, 2018.

WRC 2018: Marmaris Rally Turkey

The 2018 World Rally Championship continues at Marmaris, Turkey, for the Marmaris Rally Turkey event and in this event; there are two elements that best sum up this weekend's rally battle; earth and fire. Nothing more.

In Friday's stages, championship leader Thierry Neuville managed to leave 0.3 seconds ahead of title rival Ford's Sebastien Ogier despite his disastrous start. But in Saturday's stages, with disaster struck down Neuville with a few other drivers caught fire, Toyota's Ott Tanak made a shocking lead and that upset made the Estonian winning the Marmaris Rally. He is 22.3 seconds ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala while Hayden Paddon took his first podium finish in 3rd place, 1 minute and 46.3 seconds behind Tanak.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoRUo46sB1g&list=PLODyu6T9_emw9NrMKulGFwuxf5VgWgzBC

With only three events left this season, the next event of the WRC 2018 is the Dayinsure Wales Rally on the 4th to the 7th of October.

WRC 2018: ADAC Rallye Deutschland

The 2018 World Rally Championship continues with at Bostalsee, Germany, for the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, and over the course of 150.12 kilometers of rally action, the drivers are pushing themselves to the limit to see if they can survive Germany's roughest terrains while keeping the momentum of this season.

Beginning in Friday's stages, Ott Tanak of Toyota was proven dominant with five stage wins and on Saturday's stages, and although he failed to win any speed tests compared to Friday's, the Estonian continues to charge at the top spot and thanks to some errors by Sebastien Ogier of Ford, Tanak's top spot still stands with Dani Sordo and Jari-Matti Latvala behind his tail. 

Although, Ogier won the last TV Power Stage of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, the winner of this 150.12km goes to Ott Tanak, with an overall time of 3:03:36.9. In a surprising move, Hyundai's Thierry Neuville made it in second with +39.2 behind Tanak, and Esapekka Lappi completes the podium in 3rd place with 1:00.9 behind Tanak.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbSwVOp89AQ&list=PLODyu6T9_emzz_H_LIgGOQ0QAUswFLRSg

The next event is the Marmaris Rally Turkey on the 13th to the 16th of September, 2018.

WRC 2018: Neste Rally Finland

The 2018 World Rally Championship continues at Jyväskylä for the Neste Rally Finland and despite some new changes for this year, this is the event where an Estonian rally driver making headlines throughout the rest of the rally weekend and who can blame him for his success at Jyväskylä?

Yes, it's the man behind the #8 Yaris rally car, Ott Tanak, who made headlines in Jyväskylä. In the early stages of Friday, Tanak faced some stiff competition against Mads Ostberg, who snatched his lead after stages 6 and 7. Come Saturday, Esapekka Lappi became the fly in Tanak's jar of ointment as stages 16 and 17 shows some force from Lappi himself when he stopped Tanak's run but that doesn't stop the Estonian's dominant lead. On Sunday's stages, after Lappi's accidental rollover, Tanak dominated the latter stages until he reached the Power Stage and won.

Tanak posted an overall lap time of 2:35.18.1, that's +32.7 ahead of Ostberg and 35.5 ahead of Latvala.

After Finland, despite his poor result, Thierry Neuville remained on the top spot with 149 points while Ford driver Sebastien Ogier's at 2nd with 122 points and after a dominant performance, Tanak's at 3rd with 77 points.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?index=1&list=PLODyu6T9_emxU9GCvfJZ8H8-3ajK_edoh&playnext=1

The next event is the ADAC Rallye Deutschland from the 16th to the 19th of August, 2018.

WRC 2018: Rally Italia Sardegna

The 2018 World Rally Championship continues at Sardegna, Italy, for the Rally Italia Sardegna leg of this season and nothing says summer starts early than witnessing a rally event packed with thrilling moments no one saw it coming.

Beginning with Friday stages, unpredictable weather conditions in Sardegna starting to favor challengers over title rivals Sebastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville. Such conditions took a blow to Andreas Mikkelsen, Ott Tanak, and Teemu Suninen. However, despite unfavorable conditions, Ogier bounced back against Neuville by 18.9 seconds.

Saturday stages, meanwhile, sees Ogier and Neuville trading punches at each other across seveb stages until Ogier leads by 3.9 seconds.

On the final day, despite Ogier's penalty relief, Thierry Neuville of Hyundai is named the winner after a close-call result at the final speed test that edged the Ford driver by an amazingly close 0.8 second margin. 3:29:18.7 vs. 3:29:19.4. Lappi of Toyota Gazoo Racing finished third.

Next race is on Jyväskylä for the Neste Rally Finland on the 26th to the 29th of July.

WRC 2018: Vodafone Rally de Portugal

The Royal Weekend is not just about the whole world stopped to witness the rise of the new Royal Couple, it's also a smorgasbord of races, races, and races. One of them is the Vodafone Rally de Portugal of the WRC 2018 season where the best rally drivers are ready to get their hands dirty in the name of royalty in front of the spectators.

Summing up this four-day battle royale; Toyota Gazoo Racing's Ott Tanak kicked off the Portugal rally with an SS1 victory until a crash led Haydon Paddon to win SS2. The next two stages see Hyundai's Dani Sordo nailing them and with SS5 comes in, Kris Meeke charged for the win. Saturday stages see a one-sided fight between Ford driver Elfyn Evans and Hyundai's Thierry Neuville in the middle of dominating the Portugal rally and by Sunday, Thierry Neuville wins the Vodafone Rally de Portugal with the overall time of 3:49:46.6, +40.0 ahead of Evans, +47.3 ahead of Teemu Suninen, another Ford driver.

Highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_3fNxhnXOw&list=PLODyu6T9_emzW2by88--m4SmAlEybQzRa

The next race of the WRC 2018 is the Rally Italia Sardegna from the 7th to the 10th of June, 2018.

WRC 2018: YPF Rally Argentina

Weekends at Argentina became even more dirtier than ever as the 2018 World Rally Championship continues for the YPF Rally Argentina and all the dirt and gravel of this Latin American venue never felt so alive stage after stage after stage.

Here's how it happened; in the opening stages last Friday, Hyundai's Thierry Neuville edges Toyota Gazoo Racing's Ott Tanak in the opener but Andreas Mikkelsen led the next two stages. Saturday's stages sees Tanak on the verge of a comeback after clearing Stages 9 to 12, and then in the last few stages of the YPF Rally Argentina, it's official. Ott Tanak wins with Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo placed 2nd and 3rd.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTx4T1dan40&list=PLODyu6T9_emxIH9sAMg48yPp4eV3DHUd_

Next race is at Portugal for the Vodafone Rally de Portugal on the 17th to the 20th of May.

WRC 2018: Tour de Corse

After Mexico, the 2018 World Rally Championship arrived at Corsica, France, for the Corsica Linea Tour de Corse and throughout this weekend, it has become one of the most interesting WRC races in this season probably because of the legendary Sebastien Loeb making the rounds in this event but legendary rally driver aside, it's every one for themselves in Corsica.

Photo: Official WRC Instagram

In the opening stages since Friday, Sebastien Ogier begins the charge but despite his stage two fail, the legendary Loeb goes back to business in stage five and as the two Sebs share stage wins in six and seven, Esapekka Lappi takes the charge in stage eight until a puncture knocked him out in stage 11, paving way for Ott Tanak.

At the end of the Tour de Corse, victory goes to M-Sport Ford's Sebastien Ogier while second place goes for Toyota Gazoo Racing's Ott Tanak and third place goes for Hyundai's Thierry Neuville.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNIDNB19FVw&list=PLODyu6T9_emzfN_Ddn6u-cck281hj1z8n

The next race of the WRC 2018 is on Argentina this 26th to 29th of April.

WRC 2018: Rally Guanajuato Mexico

Out goes the snow, in goes the dust as the 2018 World Rally Championship heads to Guanajuato, Mexico, for their third round of this season and this round packs with surprises. With the legendary Sebastien Loeb returning to Citroen to check things out for the team as well as some bloopers by Kris Meeke while powersliding through a garden pot, this Mexican leg of this season could get even more surprising.

At the first stage of this race, Thierry Neuville of Hyundai spearheads the match through the narrow mining tunnels of Guanajuato but in the next stage, Kris Meeke takes over, and then Dani Sordo on stage 3. Sordo's reign lasted for two stages and ended by Kris Meeke. In Stage 11, meanwhile, it was a shocking turn of events when the legendary Sebastien Loeb charges into Mexico lead but in Stage 14, following punctures from Loeb and Sordo, M-Sport Ford's Sebastien Ogier. In the latter stages of Mexico, Meeke crashes while Ogier netted his fourth win at Rally Guanajuato, his 42nd win of his career.

The overall time Ogier set during the Guanajuato match is 3:54:08.0, 1:03.6 ahead of Hyundai's Sordo, and 1:19.2 ahead of Meeke.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FQFJ7FxESc&list=PLODyu6T9_emwQfBLDuxCiyb2jPrDuCZn9

The next race will be at Corsica for the Corsica Linea Tour de Corse on the 5th to the 8th of April, 2018.

WRC 2018: Rally Sweden

The snowy battlefield of Sweden became the next stop for the 2018 World Rally Championship and because of the grueling icy stages the drivers are facing, it takes some skill and determination to master such extreme icy conditions while gunning for the fastest overall time of the race.

In the first stage of the race, Toyota nabbed a 1-2 finish with Ott Tanak dominating the first two stages. However, in Stage 3, it was Hyundai's turn to nab the 1-2 finish with Thierry Neuville overtaking Tanak in the results and as stages get even trickier for the drivers due to the extreme icy conditions, despite gearbox issues on the ninth stage, Neuville still standing strong and goes all the way for winning their first race of the WRC season for the South Korean car maker with the overall time of, 2:52:13.1, 19.8 ahead of the #11 Citroen driven by Craig Breen.

Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNAO9S1vnUc&list=PLODyu6T9_emwS8C9kAiqPnTHDZvFVfHrd

Next race will be the Rally Guanajuato Mexico on the 8th to the 11th of March.

WRC 2018: Rallye Monte Carlo

The 2018 World Rally Championship kicked off with the Rallye Monte Carlo, which is definitely a cool way to start this new season with some icy stages that test the mettle of new and returning rally drivers, especially machines both manufacturer-supported and owned by private teams alike.

In the opening stages of the first day, reining world champion, Sebastien Ogier, driving for M-Sport Ford rally team, took an early lead, and on the second day, despite the impressive performance by Toyota's new driver, Ott Tanak, Ogier is still going on strong despite some fatal errors during wet conditions. Saturday stages, meanwhile, shows no signs of slowing down Ogier even though Tanak's performance continues to gun down last year's world champion.

In the latter Sunday stages, the Frenchman's on the brink of of nicking his fifth Rallye Monte Carlo win after extending his lead to 46.2 seconds and then on the latter stages, Ogier's the clear winner of the Rallye Monte Carlo. Overall, Ogier is 58.3 seconds ahead of newcomer Tanak while Jari-Matti Latvala, also a Toyota driver, placed 3rd place overall in the Rallye Monte Carlo.

Clips from the recent rally event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBulTWrdwpo&list=PLODyu6T9_emxDOKtiaQKi5Q_BBLzeDeBT

The next WRC event will be on Sweden on the 15th to the 18th of February, 2018.