WRC Event Preview: 2018 Rally Mexico (March 9, 2018)

The third round of the 2018 World Rally Championship is this weekend, with the 15th annual Rally Guanajuato Mexico. The 22-stage event began Thursday, March 8, with a shakedown and one special stage, won by Thierry Neuville. Nine stages will be contested Friday and Saturday, with the final three stages scheduled for Sunday. Overall, the total distance is scheduled for 344.49 kilometers, or 214.06 miles, on a gravel surface.

The rally base is at Guanajuato. The defending race winner is Kris Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle. Here are some statistics related to the Rally Mexico as well as the 2018 season.

Rally Mexico Statistics (Since 2004)

- Most Victories (Driver): Sebastien Loeb (6)

- Most Victories (Manufacturer): Citroen (7)

- Most Victories (Nation): France (9)

- Previous Races Contested: 14

- Number of Stages: 259 (thru 2017)

  - Most Stages: 24 (2012)

  - Fewest Stages: 14 (2005)

- Distance of Stages: 8,290.22 kilometers (5,151.3 miles)

  - Longest Event: 1,031.30 kilometers (2011)

  - Shortest Event: 370.45 kilometers (2017)

- Drivers With At Least One Win: 7

- Most Consecutive Victories: Sebastien Loeb (3; 2006-2008; 2010-2012)

Notes of Interest

- The 2017 Rally Mexico was won by Kris Meeke of the United Kingdom, his first career victory in the event and fourth career World Rally Championship win. Meeke became the seventh driver to win Rally Mexico in WRC competition.

- The first Rally Mexico, in 1993, was won by Giuseppe Spataro of Mexico, in Valle de Bravo. The first rally as part of the World Rally Championship came in 2004.

- All 14 previous runnings of the event since 2004 have been won by a European driver.

Full List of Rally Mexico Winners (7; Since 2004)

- Sebastien Loeb: 6

- Sebastien Ogier: 3

- Markko Martin: 1

- Petter Solberg: 1

- Manfred Stohl: 1

- Jari-Matti Latvala: 1

- Kris Meeke: 1

***

2018 World Rally Championship Statistics

- Total Rallies Contested: 2

- Total Distance Covered: 708.99 kilometers

- Overall Winners (By Driver): Sebastien Ogier (1; Monte Carlo), Thierry Neuville (1; Sweden)

- Overall Winners (By Manufacturer): Ford (1; Monte Carlo), Hyundai (1; Sweden)

- Overall Winners (By Tire): Michelin (2; Monte Carlo, Sweden)

- Overall Winners (By Country): France (1; Monte Carlo), Belgium (1; Sweden)

- Total Stages Contested: 36

  - Longest Stage: 36.58 kilometers/22.73 miles (Thoard-Sisteron – Rallye Monte Carlo)

  - Shortest Stage: 1.9 kilometers/1.18 miles (Karlstad – Rally Sweden)

- Stage Winners (By Driver): Thierry Neuville (10), Ott Tanak (10), Sebastien Ogier (4), Craig Breen (3), Elfyn Evans (2), Hayden Paddon (2), Esapekka Lappi (2), Kris Meeke (1), Andreas Mikkelsen (1)

- Stage Winners (By Manufacturer): Hyundai (14), Toyota (12), Ford (6), Citroen (4)

- Stage Winners (By Tire): Michelin (36)

- Stage Winners (By Country): Belgium (10), Estonia (10), France (4), United Kingdom (3), Ireland (3), New Zealand (2), Finland (2), Norway (1)

- Drivers to Lead Points Standings: 2 (Sebastien Ogier – 1; Thierry Neuville – 1)

- Most Victories: Sebastien Ogier (1), Thierry Neuville (1)

- Most Podiums: Sebastien Ogier (1), Ott Tanak (1), Jari-Matti Latvala (1), Thierry Neuville (1), Craig Breen (1), Andreas Mikkelsen (1)

- Longest Distance Covered, Single Rally: 394.74 kilometers (Rally Monte-Carlo)

- Shortest Distance Covered, Single Rally: 314.25 kilometers (Rally Sweden)

- Most Stages in a Single Rally: 19 (Rally Sweden)

- Fewest Stages in a Single Rally: 17 (Rally Monte-Carlo)

***

World Rally Championship Statistics

- Total Rallies Contested: 573

- Drivers With At Least One Win: 77 (First: Jean-Claude Andruet; 77th: Elfyn Evans)

- Manufacturers With At Least One Win: 21

- Nations With At Least One Win: 17

- Most Victories (Driver): Sebastien Loeb (78)

- Most Victories (Manufacturer): Citroen (98)

- Most Victories (Nation): France (186)

- Most Championships (Driver): Sebastien Loeb (9)

- Most Championships (Manufacturer): Lancia (10)

- Most Championships (Nation): France (15)

Notes of Interest

- Thierry Neuville leads the points standings by 10 points over Sebastien Ogier, following his victory in Rally Sweden.

- Citroen is two victories away from its 100th victory in WRC competition.