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Latvala takes charge with Sweden rally win

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Latvala takes charge with Sweden rally win
Photo: TT

Finnish driver Jari-Matti Latvala won the Rally of Sweden on Saturday to take control of the world drivers championship.

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Latvala, the winner in the snow here in 2008 and 2012 when driving for Ford, had taken the lead on Friday after world champion Sebastien Ogier lost his chance of success when crashing his VW Polo into a snowdrift.

In third came Mads Østberg, only six seconds adrift of his fellow Norwegian, Mikkelson.

Latvala won five of the 23 special stages and comfortably held off the chasing pack after hitting the front from the tenth special.

Ogier, attempting to follow up last year's win in Sweden, saw his chance of success disappear when careering off the road on the eighth stage.

The Frenchman made a decent fist of trying to get back into the race, eventually finishing sixth, four-and-a-half minutes down.

Latvala now tops the overall driver standings on 40 points from Ogier (35) and Ostberg (30).

The WRC season moves on to Mexico for the third leg starting on March 6th.

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