Intro:

Sebastien Ogier clinched his maiden World Rally Championship at the Rally France on Thursday, while Sebastien Loeb won Friday's first three special stages to lead the event.

Script:

The Rally of France got underway on Thursday, with the world title clinched in the ceremonial opening special stage on the streets of Strasbourg.

Sebastien Ogier headed into round 11 of 13 with a commanding lead and the Frenchman was guaranteed his maiden World Rally Championship title after Thierry Neuville failed to win stage one.

The Belgian needed to pick up the three bonus points on offer for the stage win to have any chance of catching Ogier, but could only manage second place behind Dani Sordo.

Ogier said he was happy and so proud of his team, to have achieved a target he has had for years.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Sebastien Ogier, 2013 WRC champion:
"It's a target I've had now for years and just to reach it, world champion is the best you can get in rally, so I'm happy with that and so proud of my team that.... such a nice story. We start last year together from zero and we are here already, world champion, even not at the end of the season, so it's just amazing and now I just want to continue this way and give them as well the manufacturers' title because they deserve it a lot."

Nine-time former champion Sebastien Loeb is making his fourth appearance of the season and the Rally of France will reportedly be his last in WRC.

The Frenchman, who won this year's rallies in Monte Carlo and Argentina despite being in semi-retirement, won the first three special stages on Friday to take the overall lead.

Jari-Matti Latvala is in second place, Neuville is third and newly crowned world champion Ogier is in fifth.