Qatar star Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah held off Finland’s Jari Ketomaa to claim the WRC2 victory in the punishing Vodafone Rally of Portugal, round four of the FIA World Rally Championship, which finished on the Algarve yesterday.

Meanwhile, defending WRC champion Sébastien Ogier extended his lead in the points standings with an easy victory ahead of Finland’s Mikko Hirvonen and Norway’s Mads Ostberg.

Al-Attiyah regained the WRC2 advantage from Ketomaa at the start of yesterday’s final three times tests. The Qatari took a lead of 11.2 seconds into the 13.83km of the 14th Loulé stage.

Qatari Abdulaziz al-Kuwari was eighth, while Skydive Dubai Rally Team driver Rashid al-Ketbi held 14th and Kuwait’s Salah bin Eidan was 19th.

Al-Attiyah won the 14th timed test and extended his advantage to 15.6 seconds and al-Ketbi retained his position with the 12th quickest time, but Ketomaa reduced al-Attiyah’s lead in WRC 2 to 10.8 seconds heading into the final Power Stage. Al-Ketbi climbed to 12th.

A storming time by al-Attiyah in the last stage was sufficient for the Qatari to claim a 21.6-second win in the WRC 2 category from Ketomaa. Al-Ketbi climbed to 11th when Julien Maurin retired with alternator woes before the final stage.

Ogier headed into the final three special stages yesterday morning with a 38.1-second outright lead over Hirvonen, with Ostberg a further 48.6 seconds adrift. Abu Dhabi’s Khalid al-Qassimi started the day in 15th.

Ogier noticeably eased his pace through SS14 and Jari-Matti Latvala set the quickest time, but the leading Frenchman headed to the Sao Brás de Alportel stage with a lead of 43.2 seconds over Hirvonen. Dani Sordo lost out on a potential top five finish when he retired his Hyundai after SS14.

Ogier ceded 7.8 seconds to Hirvonen through SS15 and began the final Power Stage with a lead of 35.4 seconds. There were no late dramas and the Frenchman, driving a Volkswagen Polo R WRC, held on to secure his 19th WRC win by a margin of 43.2 seconds.

Al-Qassimi completed the rally in 13th overall.

Ogier also gained three extra points by winning the final Power Stage and gave Volkswagen its eighth successive WRC win.

“This is a rally I love to drive and I am delighted to be able to win. I had a really good tyre management and that was maybe the difference,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

Related Story