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Ingrassia wins co-driver's trophy
World champion co-driver Julien Ingrassia has won the Michael Park ‘Beef’ Trophy for 2014.
The trophy is awarded annually to a co-driver in memory of Park, who died in a tragic accident during Wales Rally GB in 2005 while competing with long-term partner Markko Märtin.
Ingrassia, who guided Sébastien Ogier to a second consecutive world title in Spain last month, follows in the footsteps of previous winners including Daniel Elena, Timo Rautiainen, Phil Mills and last year’s winner, Nicolas Gilsoul.
Ingrassia was presented with the trophy by 1981 world champion driver Ari Vatanen and Robert Reid, world champion co-driver in 2001, at the start ceremony of Wales Rally GB in Colwyn Bay on Thursday (13 November).
Ingrassia began his motorsport career in 2002 at club level in France, and has partnered Ogier since 2007 when they won a one-make series in their home country.
The following season they won the FIA Junior World Rally Championship, and after joining Citroen’s factory team, the duo scored their first WRC victory in Portugal in 2010. They added five more wins the following season to finish third in the standings before moving to Volkswagen in 2012.
Ingrassia has won 23 of his 83 WRC starts and finished on the podium on 34 occasions.
Pictured above, left to right, are: Ari Vatanen, Robert Reid, Julien Ingrassia and Sebastein Ogier.
