Sebastien Ogier won the Rally of Sweden to give the new VW Polo R its maiden WRC victory

Sebastien Ogier: Frenchman on his way to victory in the Rally of Sweden

Frenchman Sebastien Ogier remained in command of the Rally of Sweden on Sunday's final leg to secure a maiden World Rally Championship victory for Volkswagen's new Polo R car.

The 29-year-old held off the challenge of fellow Frenchman Sebastien Loeb to prevail by 41.8 seconds.

World champion Loeb won the first three of Sunday's six stages in his Citroen DS3 to reduce the deficit but an error on the 20th stage - when he crashed into a snow bank - ended his hopes, with Ogier winning the stage.

Norway's Mads Ostberg cemented third place in his Ford Fiesta RS with a victory on the penultimate stage, with Ogier celebrating his success by taking the final Power Stage for three bonus points.

Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland, Ogier's team-mate, finished fourth overall but collected two extra points by claiming second spot in the Power Stage.

Ogier, whose 1-2 with Loeb was the first time French drivers had achieved such a feat in a race normally dominated by Scandinavians, also took the lead in the overall standings.

Loeb, who has won this rally just once in 2004, triumphed at the season-opening Rally of Monte Carlo but is only contesting two other races this year - in Argentina and his home rally.