Frenchman Sebastien Ogier claimed a hat-trick of World Rally Championships when he eased to victory in the Rally of Australia on Sunday.
With three rounds of the WRC remaining, in France, Spain and the UK, Ogier is now on 235 points and cannot be beaten for the 2015 title.
Ogier, alongside French co-driver Julien Ingrassia, beat Volkswagen Polo teammate Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland by 12.3 seconds to take his seventh win of the season.
Citroen Abu Dhabi’s Kris Meeke was in third place, 32.6 seconds behind Ogier.
Latvala led the Frenchman after the first day but once Ogier settled into his rhythm he steadily reeled in the leaders and finished day two 0.3 seconds ahead of Meeke.
He continued his dominance into the final day, winning all four stages on Sunday.
Meeke slipped a place on the final day and was only fourth fastest on the opening stage, allowing Latvala to leapfrog him into second.
Latvala also finished in second place in the championship, with Volkswagen claiming a hat-trick of manufacturers’ titles.
Ogier hugged the bonnet of his car after the final stage and said it had been his best performance of the season.
“(It’s been) an amazing season, the best I have ever done,” he said.
“And this rally win is very significant. It was the most difficult rally to open the roads on.
“On paper it was impossible to win but I was determined. It’s the perfect way to secure the title.”
Ogier became only the fourth man in history to win three or more championships, behind compatriot Sebastien Loeb, who has nine, and Finnish pair Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Makinen, both with four.
Meeke conceded that his Citroen DS couldn’t match the pace of the two Volkswagens on the roads around the New South Wales town of Coffs Harbour.
“For two days I had the advantage of a better road position and now I don’t,” he said after the opening stage.
“That’s the true pace of the Volkswagens. I’m still trying and I can’t do more.”
Latvala also admitted Ogier was too good this week.
“I’m happy to have been so consistent and to have made no mistakes,” he said.
“Maybe on Friday and Saturday morning I was missing a little spark to fight for the victory — it wasn’t enough.
“Seb has done an amazing job. He has been better than me.”
RALLY AUSTRALIA RESULTS
1. Sebastien Ogier-Julien Ingrassia (FRA/VW Polo-R) 2hr 59min 16.4
2. Jari-Matti Latvala-Mikka Anttila (FIN/VW Polo-R) at 12.3 seconds
3. Kris Meeke-Paul Nagle (GBR-IRL/Citroen DS3) 32.6
4. Andreas Mikkelsen-Ola Floene (NOR/VW Polo-R) 38.5
5. Hayden Paddon-John Kennard (NZL/Hyundai i20) 55.1
6. Ott Tanak-Raigo Molder (EST/Ford Fiesta RS) 1:38.0
7. Thierry Neuville-Nicolas Gilsoul (BEL/Hyundai i20) 2:08.3
8. Dani Sordo-Marc Marti (ESP/Hyundai i20) 2.15.2
9. Elfyn Evans-Daniel Barritt (GBR/Ford Fiesta RS) 4.33.7
10. Nasser Al-Attiyah-Matthieu Baumel (QAT-FRA/Ford Fiesta RS) 11:46.5
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The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Price: From Dh149,900
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
