Photo Credit: Volkswagen Motorsport Tomorrow marks the final day of the year 2016, a year that will probably go down for many as a rather dark and strange affair: Brexit, Donald Trump, numerous high profile losses of life, it can be argued that 2016 hasn't exactly been one to rememeber. I however disagree. In my own personal life I have reached many personal milestones, and the world of rallying was certainly treated to an intirguing year with 6 different winners in the 2016 WRC. The last time the World Rally Championship witnessed so many winners in a season was back in 2003, the last season the championship wasn't won by a French Sebastien. So here are my top 5 moments revealed from 5 to 1 from the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship season. What were yours? Why not let me know in the comments section below or via my social media. 5. Neuville vs Sordo in GermanyPhoto Credit: Hyundai Motorsport Coming in at number 5 in this list was the thrilling battle between Hyundai Motorsportteam mates, renowned tarmac experts and former Rallye Deutschland winners Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo on the German round of this year's World Championship. Both the Spaniard and the Belgian were enjoying solid seasons in their new-generation i20 WRC's, with Neuville in particular riding on the crest of a wave thanks to a second career win in Italy. Sordo meanwhile had been a model of consistency, scoring four consecutive fourth place finishes at the start of the season, but was craving some stronger results, especially since a technical infringement stripped him of his Mexican podium. In Germany however, the Spaniard was at his seering pace, but so was his team mate Neuville. The Hyundai duo were locked in battle with the Volkswagen Polo's of Sebastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen on day 1, but as the #1 Polo began to pull away the #3 and #4 i20's overhauled the #9 Polo of Andreas Mikkelsen. Heading into Sunday, Sordo held a small advantage over Neuville but Thierry was on fire, gradually nibbling second away from his more experienced team mate. In the end, only 0.1 seconds could separate the pair after 3 gruelling days on the German tarmac, with Neuville winning the Power Stage but falling short by literally the smallest of margins. This was the WRC at its best with two great drivers fighting for every single millisecond. Exciting indeed. 4. Paddon's breakthrough winPhoto Credit: Hyundai Motorsport Hayden Paddon shocked the rallying world in 2015 with a second place finish on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, coming so close to beating World Champion Sebastien Ogier. However, on round 4 of the 2016 season, the New Zealander got his second stab at beating the VW man in a thrilling final stage shoot-out, staged on the classic El Condor stage, likened to driving on the moon. Jari-Matti Latvala headed to Argentina on the back of a strong and much needed win in Mexico, and given his favourable road position in both North America and South America, the Finn was expected to do the same on the rally he won so brilliantly in 2014. And sure enough, Latvala was the pace setter in Argentina, until suddenly a rock ripped his VW's suspension apart and imminent retirement was the result. This left Hayden Paddon, driving for Hyundai's second string team, with a 30 second cushion over Ogier heading into Sunday's final leg. And any hopes of that dream maiden win looked as if they'd have to remain dreams with every passing kilometre, with the then triple champion wittling down Paddon's advantage to just 2 seconds before the end of rally Power Stage. The writing was on the wall. Except it appeared all of us following the rally had been looking at the wrong wall, because Paddon monstered Ogier. Obliterated him. Blew him into the wind. A massive 11 seconds faster in just the one stage and that first career win was his. And he and John Kennard couldn't quite believe. The win was testimony to Hayden's ever-growing talent and his dedication to the cause, revealing soon afterwards that he put in extra effort into making his notes and reviewing the in car from the recce of El Condor, just in case it mattered. It certainly isn't usual to see Sebastien Ogier left stunned, but in Argentina he was. The result also means Argentina is the only rally the champ hasn't won. 3. Ogier shows touch of classPhoto Credit: Volkswagen Motorsport I know the picture shows Andreas Mikkelsen, but Sebatien Ogier revealed a side of himself that many didn't believe he had in Poland this year when Estonian Ott Tanak who had been absolutely supreme all weekend on the lightningly fast gravel stages, lost out on the win to Andreas Mikkelsen due to a puncture on the final day. Where does Ogier fit into all this? Well, first here's a little bit of context. Sebastien Ogier shot into the world rallying scene in 2008 at the wheel of a Citroen C2 in the JWRC, and quickly made a name for himself and progressed into the sport's main league, finishing fourth in the World Championship in 2010 at the wheel of a C4 WRC, grabbing his first win in Portugal and then his second in Japan, even managing to break into the main Citroen squad for a few rallies, displacing long-standing driver Dani Sordo who decided to then jump ship to Mini for 2011. 2011 was a bitter one and probably one insiders at Citroen would probably like to forget. Ogier joined Sebastien Loeb full time in the works team, driving one of 2 Citroen DS3 WRC's, and as far as the young pretender was concerned there should be no team orders, no favouritism or no prioritising in the favour of his 7 times World Champion team mate. And Ogier's displeasure became incredibly apparent in Germany, when after establishing a strong advantage over the chasing pack on day 1, Citroen asked their two Frenchmen to hold station for the final 2 days to ensure a 1-2 finish for the team, with Loeb leading Ogier as he had been after Friday. At the time, there were strong rumours the orders had been placed but no official confirmation, although Ogier's behaviour at stage ends and performances on the stages themselves gave us the answers. Ogier didn't hold up, chipping into Loeb's lead and refused to speak to the media after the tarmac tests. Incredibly, Loeb then got a puncture and Ogier took a lead he would hold until the finish in Trier. When told about Loeb's misfortune on Saturday, Ogier cryptically said: "At least now there is justice in the sport." In 2015, his ruthless character caused more of a stir amongst his peers when after losing out to team mate Jari-Matti Latvala in Portugal, he stated at the end of the rally that this time "the best driver had not won." Ogier was making reference to the road order rules which he felt hampered and disadvantaged him, but the level of disrepect upset a number of people around the service park, most notably Kris Meeke. In Poland 2016 however, Ogier who wound up in 6th, was one of the first to console the downbeat Tanak at the end of the final stage, who was crestfallen after seeing a maiden WRC win fall straight out through his hands. Ogier lifted the Estonian onto his shoulders to the applause of onlookers, and it was a real sign of sportsmanship and appreciation of Ott's performance that showed the Frenchman can be compassionate rather than just a winning machine. This respect and chemistry bodes well for next year if you're an M-Sport fan, where the two drivers will link up for the full 2017 season. 2. Run of 6 different winnersPhoto Credit: Volkswagen Motorsport, Hyundai Motorsport, Citroen Racing From Rally Sweden in February to Rally Poland in July, we witnessed a different winner across each of those 6 rallies, meaning at the half-way point of the season after Rd.7 we had seen just one repeat winner in Sebastien Ogier who won both the season opening Monte-Carlo rally and the following adventure on the snow of Sweden. Latvala took the spoils in the heat and altitude of Mexico, with Paddon grabbing WRC win number 1 in Argentina. Taking their respective second career wins were Kris Meeke in Portugal, Thierry Neuville in Sardinia and Andreas Mikkelsen in Poland. It was a truly remarkable sequence and highlighted the shear competitive nature of today's World Rally Championship with so many drivers in the pack capable of winning a rally. Ott Tanak could so easily have made in 7 different winners in 2016 in both Poland and Wales where Ogier pipped him by just 10 seconds. It's without much debate that Ogier is the king of the bunch, but just behind the rest are incredibly closely matched and with all new cars and a new era in 2017, might one of them snatch the championship from the Frenchman's grasp? I certainly wouldn't rule it out. 1. Meeke wins fastest rally in historyPhoto Credit: Citroen Racing As a Brit and one that has followed the career path of Northern Ireland's Kris Meeke since his British Rally Championship days in a Ford Puma S1600 where he was talent spotted by Colin McRae, how could I not place this one at number 1? Meeke's historic win in Finland.
It was histroric for two reasons. Firstly, the average speed Kris set in his DS3 WRC was the highest in the history of the WRC, eclipsing Latvala's record from Finland the year before, putting Meeke at the top of the chart for winning the fastest rally ever. And secondly, despite having illustrious World Championship winning compatriots in Colin McRae and Richard Burns, Meeke became the 6th non-Scandinavian and first ever British driver to win the infamous Finnish round of the World Championship. What made it all the more impressive is he beat the man who had won the rally the past two years in Jari-Matti Latvala, and rubbed salt into the wounds by going 13 seconds faster than his Finnish rival in the legendary Ouninpohja test. Embarrassing for a Finn, but startling from Meeke who certainly stamped his authority as one of the fastest drivers in the world. The Citroen driver's win in Portugal earlier in the year was impressive but easy in a way given his favourable road position from not contesting the full championship, but the cleaning affect is minimal in Finland, meaning this win was claimed on merit. Quite some performance that is fully deserving at the top of my best moments from 2016. What made it even better was Craig Breen in just his third appearance in a DS3 WRC grabbed third place and the final step of the podium behind Jari-Matti Latvala. Emotional scenes, and Breen is another to keep an eye on in 2017. So that's the end of my top 5 moments from 2016. I hope everybody has a great new year and I can't wait for the new year to come. Why? Do you really need to ask? 21 days...
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