* Despite lacking experience on asphalt, Mads Østberg / Jonas Andersson produced a composed performance to finish fourth in Rallye Deutschland in their privately-entered Adapta World Rally Team Fiesta RS WRC. That position had been the property of M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Ott Tänak / Kuldar Sikk, but after setting two consecutive fastest stage times on Saturday, an accident dropped them down the leaderboard. Their Fiesta RS WRC was withdrawn at the final service in order for replacement parts to be fitted for the next asphalt rally in France in October. Following an early accident that cost them time, team-mates Evgeny Novikov / Nicolas Klinger retired after Sunday’s opening stage with a broken rear differential.

* Elfyn Evans / Phil Pugh claimed their third consecutive victory in the Ford Racing-supported FIA WRC Academy at Rallye Deutschland to open a 35-point lead in the series in their Fiesta R2 with two rounds remaining. However, the Welsh duo were not without their challengers. Rally Team Scotland’s John MacCrone / Stuart Loudon won the opening two stages, but SS4 proved their undoing after running wide on a patch of oil and damaging their car’s rear beam. That promoted Alastair Fisher / Daniel Barritt into the lead, until a puncture paved the way for Evans to move to the top of the standings. José Suárez / Candido Carrera secured their best WRC Academy finish with a consistent run to the runner-up spoils, with MacCrone snatching the final podium spot following late dramas for Fisher and Brendan Reeves / Rhianon Smyth.

* Damian Cole claimed his third MSA Asphalt Rally Championship crown after winning the Mewla Rally in Wales alongside co-driver James Morgan. Despite breaking the handbrake in his Ford Focus RS WRC in the final stage, Cole arrived back at the finish nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, and the result makes him the first driver to achieve the title hat-trick in more than 15 years.

* Driving a Ford Escort Mk1, Julian Reynolds / Patrick Walsh won the Todds Leap Ulster Historic Rally, round six of the MSA British Historic Rally Championship, in so doing also clinching the championship’s Category Two laurels ahead of the similar car of Ernie Graham / Will Graham. Tomas Davies / Eurig Davies prevailed in Category Three in their Ford Escort Mk2.

* Mark Winterbottom closed to within a point of the V8 Supercars Championship lead with a double podium in the Sydney Motorsport Park 360 in Australia. The Orrcon Steel FPR Ford Falcon FG driver finished second and third in the weekend’s two races, with Trading Post FPR Ford rival Will Davison consolidating third in the title standings by taking the chequered flag third and fifth.