Three international series crowned their champions this weekend, with the FIA World Rally Championship, FIA World Rallycross Championship and the DTM series confirming their champs. They’re sort of related.
Here’s quick recaps:
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Sebastian Ogier has joined the ranks of four-time champions in WRC, along with Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Makinen. Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia won the Rally of Spain in their Volkswagen Polo R WRC and defeated Dani Sordo/Marc Marti in the process.
For the year, Ogier has won five of 11 completed rallies - no other driver has won more than twice (Kris Meeke two, then Jari-Matti Latvala, Hayden Paddon, Thierry Neuville, Andreas Mikkelsen have one win apiece).
In a funny statistical quirk, Sebastien Ogier’s title also brings the number of consecutive WRC titles won by a driver named Sebastien to 13 in a row, as Sebastien Loeb won nine in a row from 2004 through 2012. Ogier’s four titles, all with Volkswagen, have come in succession since 2013. The last non-Sebastien World Rally Champion was Petter Solberg for Subaru in 2003.
BREAKING NEWS: OGIER CLAIMS FOURTH TITLE - https://t.co/DzVXUjDjPo pic.twitter.com/c0j2HjsSxo
— World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) October 16, 2016
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Mattias Ekstrom has won this year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy for Audi, while the winner in Germany this weekend was Kevin Eriksson, son of Olbsergs MSE team owner Andreas Eriksson. There’s one weekend remaining in Argentina, Nov. 26-27. The younger Eriksson’s start was nothing short of mental, as you’ll see below:
Yesterdays start of the start/first corner from my point of view pic.twitter.com/heiR1qs7N1
— Kevin Eriksson (@Erikssonkev) October 17, 2016
Like a Father like a Son! 2009 vs 2016! 🏁 @Erikssonkev @FIAWorldRX @EsteringRX 📷@qnigan pic.twitter.com/m9MyZUoCSJ
— olsbergsmse (@olsbergsmse) October 17, 2016
CONGRATULATIONS @Erikssonkev - winner of #GermanyRX and his first ever win in #WorldRX!!!! pic.twitter.com/BSiRs1nUeq
— FIA World Rallycross Championship (@FIAWorldRX) October 16, 2016
Meanwhile, here’s Ekstrom’s celebration, and a release of the 2017 FIA World RX calendar:
AND... *drum roll*...
— FIA World Rallycross Championship (@FIAWorldRX) October 16, 2016
Your 2016 FIA World Rallycross Champion, @mattiasekstroem!!!!! pic.twitter.com/WZZj6IBVu0
WORLD CHAMPION!!!! #EKSRX #WorldRX #GermanyRX pic.twitter.com/BpDofyuICM
— EKS (@EKSRX) October 16, 2016
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLoH3DogGvy/
#WorldRX fans, we’re delighted to bring you the 2017 @FIA World + European Rallycross Championship calendar! pic.twitter.com/4N4dVlYycI
— FIA World Rallycross Championship (@FIAWorldRX) October 17, 2016
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Edoardo Mortara (Audi) came up four points short to Marco Wittmann (BMW) in DTM, with Wittmann winning his second DTM title on Sunday in the Hockenheimring. Audi, meanwhile, secured the DTM Manufacturer’s Championship, 700-647, over BMW.
Mortara won five races to Wittmann’s three this year, but Wittmann had slightly better consistency over the course of the year. Wittmann only finished outside the points three times while Mortara was outside the points on five occasions.
And we have a new #DTM champion!!!!! Huge congratulations to @Wittmannracing and @BMWMotorsport! #DTMFinale pic.twitter.com/Pl26I4z5Gj
— DTM (@DTM) October 16, 2016
CHAMPION! UNGLAUBLICH! JAAAAAAAA! /// CHAMPION! UNBELIEVABLE! YEAHHHHHHH! #Wi11mann Red Bull BMW Motorsport #BMW https://t.co/mkrFICjnXO
— Marco Wittmann (@Wittmannracing) October 16, 2016
An emotional day for @Wittmannracing and @MartinTomczyk! #DTMFinale pic.twitter.com/xLYdtD6KRs
— BMW M Motorsport (@BMWMotorsport) October 16, 2016
A sad @edomortara congratulates @Wittmannracing to the title… Read more on yesterday’s race here: https://t.co/Z54mrNcCUZ #DTMFinale pic.twitter.com/QjQTEPuIaA
— DTM (@DTM) October 17, 2016
Jamie Green, Robert Wickens and Paul di Resta completed the top five in points. Wickens’ season nose-dived in the final three weekends of the year after the Canadian had been in title contention until that point.
Others of note: Ekstrom actually missed the DTM weekend because of his FIA World Rallycross commitments and Rene Rast filled in for him at Audi; this is what forced Will Stevens to fill in for Rast at the FIA World Endurance Championship race in Fuji, where the G-Drive Racing team won in LMP2. Ekstrom finished seventh in points.
Past F1 driver Timo Glock was 10th in points, and fellow Timo - Timo Scheider - announced his retirement at year’s end. Scheider won back-to-back DTM titles in 2008 and 2009.