Ogier sets new record, Meeke crashes out in Ouninpohja

The final run of the year through Neste Oil Rally Finland's famous Ouninpohja stage has seen a brilliant run for rally leader Sebastien Ogier, problems for Mads Ostberg, and heartbreak for Britain's Kris Meeke.

Despite consciously not pushing during the final day's stages after having set himself up with a comfortable 30 second margin, Ogier was determined to have some fun during the unique 33km stage and did so in fine style by setting a new stage record time of 15:08.9s.

Afterwards, he admitted that it might not have been the brightest thing to do in the circumstances, after revealing damage to the right front wheel of the Volkswagen Motorsport Polo.

"It was a really nice stage," he said. "A lot of fun but the tyres are really gone at the end. Maybe not the best tyre choice but we have the record. At the end it was really slippy and the rear of the car was sliding a lot."

The stage also saw Qatar M-Sport Thierry Neuville take over second position in the rally, after his Qatar M-Sport stable mate Mads Ostberg ran off during the stage and drop 20s on his fellow Ford Fiesta RS driver.

"It was at about 25km that there was a massive rock in the road and it was either hit the rock and retire or go off the road to avoid it," said Ostberg. "I had no chance and had to avoid it."

At leas he was able to rejoin and is still set for third place after the incident, with only the 7.49km Painaa power stage remaining before the end of the rally.

Unfortunately Britain's Kris Meeke won't be there to see it, after his Citroen ran off in a narrow section late in Ouninpohja, rolled four times and crashed into a ditch. Meeke and his co-driver CHris Patterson were reported to be out of the car and okay.

Neuville admitted that the spate of incidents on the stage had convinced him to dial things back in on his own run.

"I was very very fast everywhere, then I got the split for Mads and I saw Meeke had rolled then I took it very carefully to the end," he said. " I wanted to make another record on this stage, there is the possibility to go faster [as we can see from] what Seb has done. The car is very fast, lovely to drive, I just love this car." Neuville finished the stage 4.6 seconds off Ogier's new record time, and now has 20 seconds in hand over Ostberg.

Jarkko Nikara is also out of the rally, pulling out before the second pass through Ouninpohja with a broken right-hand front damper on the MINI John Cooper Works following the conclusion of SS21.

"There was something on the ruts," explained the Finn. "I tried to take it carefully but I hit something."