Volkswagen's Jari-Matti Latvala keeps team-mate and Championship leader Sebastien Ogier at bay to secure victory on Rally de Portugal

Volkswagen's Jari-Matti Latvala saw off team-mate and Championship leader Sebastien Ogier to take a morale-boosting win on Rally de Portugal on Sunday.

Latvala started the final leg of the fifth round in the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship, 9.5 seconds up on Ogier, and while he conceded 1.7s to the Frenchman in Fafe 1 (SS14), the quickest time in SS15 – the penultimate test of the event – took it back to 10.3s and gave him the cushion he needed to take his first victory since Rallye de France last October. It was also his first podium – and not to mention his first points finish - since the season opening Rallye Monte Carlo, after events to forget in Sweden, Mexico and Argentina.

“It is a great feeling. After the time I have had on the last three rallies, some people doubted I would ever be able to come back. It has been one of the most difficult periods of my rally career – three rallies with no points and now to come and win is a unique feeling,” Latvala said.

“Seb was suffering early on with his road position, but he did well yesterday and today. I couldn't take maximum risk yesterday because of the tyres, but I had to try and push a bit. But today we were equal and I focused.
“I appreciate and respect this victory. There are people that work with me and follow me so it's important for them.”

Latvala took top spot on Friday morning, with the quickest time in SS4 vaulting him to the front and making him the third different leader of the morning.

The Finn then almost doubled his 6.1s lead on the repeats, and while SS5 was cancelled due to nearby forest fires, the second best time in SS6 and the quickest time SS7 saw him stretch his advantage to 11.1s.

On Saturday, Latvala came under pressure in the morning from Citroen's Kris Meeke, with a mistake in SS8 and a scare after hitting a rock in SS10, allowing the Briton to close to within 6.1s.

However, in the afternoon, while Meeke's challenge faded, Ogier was on a mission, winning all three tests, to conclude the leg back in contention, despite having started the day down in sixth and 25.9s back.

In the end though, Latvala had the speed and enough in hand to triumph, with Ogier settling for P2, 8.2 seconds back. Ogier still increases his championship lead, however (up from 33 points to 42), and he also took three bonus points for winning the Power Stage.

“I know it will be a happy event for some people - some people will be happy because the best didn't win. It is not the best feeling for me, but still a fantastic weekend,” said Ogier, who struggled with his road position on days one and two.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Motorsport II driver Andreas Mikkelsen came in third to give VW a clean sweep of the podium on his first event with the 2015-spec Polo R WRC. The Norwegian ran in the top-three for most of the event, only demoted to fourth on Saturday afternoon when passed by Ogier, before getting Meeke on the final day. It was Mikkelsen's fourth third place finish of the season.

“It's a great result, my first event with the new car. There are things I have to get used to still, but I have to say, what a machine Volkswagen has built. Wow – just incredible,” Mikkelsen remarked.

Meeke, fresh from his maiden victory on Rally Argentina, was the only man able to take the fight to the VWs, but lost out on a podium on the final day when he conceded time with a broken rear anti-roll bar in the penultimate test
“You can't win every weekend,” Meeke said. “We tried this weekend, the confidence was good and the car has been incredible. We got close yesterday and we were within 6 seconds. We need to learn more about tyre management. It's a shame about that breakage this morning because that took us out of the challenge for a podium. Overall though, a really positive weekend.”
M-Sport's Ott Tanak was fifth with the new Fiesta RS WRC, a minute or so further back, while Dani Sordo, who briefly led on Friday morning, took sixth in his Hyundai i20 WRC, just seeing off Mads Ostberg – 4.3s the difference at the end. Ostberg had lost time on Saturday with rear diff issues in the morning and then turbo issues in the afternoon, but with no issues on Sunday was able to reclaim seventh from Hayden Paddon.
Former F1 driver Robert Kubica came in ninth on his return after missing Rally Argentina, one spot ahead of fellow Ford pilot, Martin Prokop.
In WRC2, the principal support category, Nasser Al-Attiyah led for most of the event and eventually beat Esapekka Lappi by 12s. Lappi, however, later picked up a 5-minute penalty, dropping him to sixth and promoting Pontus Tidemand to second and Julien Maurin into the final podium spot.
The World Rally Championship now stays in Europe for round six, with Rally Italia Sardegna running in three weeks time (June 11-14).