Llandudno, Wales - France's freshly-crowned world champion Sebastien Ogier rounded off the season in style on Sunday with back-to-back wins in the Wales Rally GB.
The Volkswagen Polo driver, who successfully defended his World Rally Championship title in Spain in October, saw off Mikko Hirvonen in a Ford Fiesta by almost 40 seconds.
This was 34-year-old Finnish rally star Hirvonen's 193rd and final rally before retirement after a 13 season career that included 15 wins and 69 podium finishes.
He came in fourth in the overall standings on 126 points, with Ogier champion again on 267 from Jari-Matti Latvala on 218 and Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway on 150.
“I couldn't have planned a better way to end my career,” said Hirvonen.
“It was a fantastic fight all weekend, one of the most enjoyable of my career. It was an amazing weekend and I'm looking forward to keeping all my memories from the last 13 years and taking them home with me.”
FLAT OUT ON FRIDAY
Third in Wales, more than a minute adrift, was Mikkelson's compatriot Mads Ostberg.
This was Ogier's 24th career success and the eighth of this season.
“It's the best way to finish the season and it was my target,” said Ogier.
“We started flat out on Friday and made an incredible day - there was a big difference to everybody else.”
Latvala, Ogier's Volkswagen team-mate, posted the fastest time in the power stage for his ninth stage win in Wales compared to Ogier's four but his hopes of victory were dented when he slithered into a ditch on Saturday.
“My rally changed when Jari-Matti made a mistake and I had control and could ease my pace,” said Ogier.
“It wasn't the most fun way to drive, but in the slippery conditions I had to do it. It was the best way to get the win.”
RESULTS
1 Sebastien Ogier (France) Volkswagen - 3hours 03m08.2s
2 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Ford +37.6s
3 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Citroen +1:03.6
4 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) Hyundai +1:14.9
5 Elfyn Evans (Britain) Ford +1:24.3
6 Kris Meeke (Britain) Citroen +2:03.0
7 Ott Taenak (Estonia) Ford +2:29.7
8 Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland) Volkswagen +2:47.5
9 Martin Prokop (Czech Republic) Ford +3:43.3
10 Hayden Paddon (New Zealand) Hyundai +3:48.5
POINTS STANDINGS - DRIVERS
1 Sebastien Ogier (France) Volkswagen Motorsport - 267
2 Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland) Volkswagen Motorsport - 218
3 Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway) Volkswagen Motorsport II - 150
4 Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) M-Sport World Rally Team - 126
5 Mads Ostberg (Norway) Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 108
6 Thierry Neuville (Belgium) Hyundai - Shell World Rally Team - 105
7 Kris Meeke (Britain) Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team - 92
8 Elfyn Evans (Britain) M-Sport World Rally Team - 81
9 Martin Prokop (Czech Republic) Jipocar Czech National Team - 44
10 Daniel Sordo (Spain) Hyundai Shell World Rally Team - 40
11 Henning Solberg (Norway) Henning Solberg - 26
12 Bryan Bouffier (France) M-Sport Ltd - 20
13 Juho Haenninen (Finland) Hyundai Shell World Rally Team - 20
14 Hayden Paddon (New Zealand) Hyundai Motorsport N - 19
15 Ott Taenak (Estonia) M-Sport World Rally Team - 17
16 Robert Kubica (Poland) RK M-Sport World Rally Team - 14
17 Benito Guerra (Mexico) M-Sport World Rally Team - 8
18 Chris Atkinson (Australia) Hyundai Shell World Rally Team - 7
19 Pontus Tidemand (Sweden) Pontus Tidemand - 6
20 Jaroslav Melicharek (Slovakia) Slovakia World Rally Team - 4
20 Dennis Kuipers (Netherlands) M-Sport World Rally Team - 4
22 Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) Nasser Al-Attiyah - 4
23 Lorenzo Bertelli (Italy) FWRT - 2
24 Craig Breen (Ireland) Craig Breen - 2
24 Matteo Gamba (Italy) Matteo Gamba - 2
24 Yuriy Protasov (Ukraine) Yuriy Protasov - 2
27 Jari Ketomaa (Finland) Drive Dmack - 1
27 Khalid Al Qassimi (United Arab Emirates) Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team - 1
27 Karl Kruuda (Estonia) Karl Kruuda - 1
CONSTRUCTORS
1 Volkswagen Motorsport - 445
2 Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team - 210
3 M-Sport World Rally Team - 208
4 Hyundai Shell World Rally Team - 187
5 Volkswagen Motorsport II - 133
6 Jipocar Czech National Team - 49
7 Hyundai Motorsport N - 28
8 RK M-Sport World Rally Team - 26
AFP