WRC Rally Australia — Volkswagen Signs Off With Victory

Mikkelsen had led the Rally Australia throughout the rally but was under extreme pressure from his teammate Sebastien Ogier who was also pushing for the victory.

Mikkelsen started the final leg with a narrow lead of 2.6 seconds over Ogier. But a mistake from Ogier on the special stage 20 eased the pressure and the Norwegian driver cruised to victory.

Ogier suffered a spin but it did not cost him much. The Frenchman finished second and also won the Power Stage.

Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville was benefited from his teammate Hayden Paddon as the Kiwi driver hit a bank and destroyed his left rear tyre. Neuville finished third overall and also ended the season in second in the driver's championship.

The Hyundai duo of Dani Sordo and Hayden Paddon finished fourth and fifth respectively. Paddon had slipped down to fifth due to his mistake, but managed to overhaul Sordo to take fourth.

M-Sport driver Mads Ostberg finished the rally in the sixth position. His teammate Eric Camilli crashed out of the rally when he rolled his Fiesta WRC.

D-Mack driver Ott Tanak was promoted to the seventh position because of Camilli's crash. WRC 2 runner Esapekka Lappi finished in eighth and also won the WRC 2 title.

Volkswagen driver Jari-Matti Latvala made it to top ten after damaging the suspension of Polo WRC in the first stage of the rally. He finished in ninth. WRC privateer Lorenzo Bertelli rounded off the top ten finishers.