Ogier given all-clear

WRC leader Sébastien Ogier has been cleared after investigations into his Ford Fiesta World Rally Car’s gearbox following last week’s Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

Event stewards today decided to take no action against the Frenchman and his M-Sport World Rally Team after further checks were carried out on the transmission, following initial inquiries in Mexico after the finish nine days ago.

Ogier finished the four-day rally in second place, but after post-event scrutineering in León FIA technical delegate Jérôme Toquet reported that the weight of Ogier’s gearbox apparently did not comply with the official paperwork.

M-Sport representatives, including team director Malcolm Wilson, were summoned by the stewards to a hearing at which it was agreed Ogier’s gearbox and the spare unit from team-mate Ott Tänak’s car would be sent to the FIA for further investigations.

Both gearboxes were compared to another homologated unit and found to comply and the stewards confirmed the results.

The decision means Ogier retains his eight point lead in the drivers’ standings over Jari-Matti Latvala. M-Sport remains 36 points clear of Toyota Gazoo Racing in the manufacturers’ points.