Rallying - Ogier clinches fifth straight title, Evans wins in Wales
Rallying - FIA World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB - Deeside, Britain - October 29, 2017 M-Sport World Rally Team's Sebastien Ogier of France and Julien Ingrassia of France celebrate winning the World Championship after finishing third in the Wales Rally GB Action Images/Peter Cziborra
(Reuters) - Sebastien Ogier clinched his fifth successive world championship on Sunday, finishing third in the Rally of Britain, while Welshman Elfyn Evans became the first British winner of the event in 17 years.
Evans's victory in Wales, his first of the season following second-place finishes in Argentina and Finland, saw him cross the line 37.3 seconds ahead of Thierry Neuville's Hyundai i20. Ogier was a further 7.9 seconds behind in his Ford Fiesta.
The 28-year-old Evans, who was at his impressive best in the four-day forest road event, emulated Richard Burns's feat of winning his home rally in 2000.
Rallying - FIA World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB - Deeside, Britain - October 29, 2017 M-Sport World Rally Team's Sebastien Ogier of France and Julien Ingrassia of France celebrate wining the World Championship after finishing third in the Wales Rally GB Action Images/Peter Cziborra
With just the Australian finale remaining in the season, Ogier has 215 points, ahead of Belgian Neuville (183) and his Estonian team mate at M-Sport Ott Tanak (169).
France's Ogier, who joined M-Sport after Volkswagen withdrew from the sport, became the second driver to win five WRC titles after his compatriot Sebastien Loeb claimed a record nine consecutive titles from 2004-12.
It was a grand double for the 33-year-old's team who won the manufacturers' title for the first time since 2007.
Rallying - FIA World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB - Deeside, Britain - October 29, 2017 M-Sport World Rally Team's Sebastien Ogier of France and Julien Ingrassia of France celebrate wining the World Championship after finishing third in the Wales Rally GB Action Images/Peter Cziborra
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Clare Fallon)
Rallying - FIA World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB - Deeside, Britain - October 27, 2017 M-Sport World Rally Team's Elfyn Evans of Great Britain and Daniel Barritt of Great Britain during SS3 at Sweet Lamb Action Images/Peter CziborraRallying - FIA World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB - Deeside, Britain - October 27, 2017 M-Sport World Rally Team's Sebastien Ogier of France and Julien Ingrassia of France during SS3 at Sweet Lamb Action Images/Peter Cziborra
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