IT was business as usual on Wales Rally GB, as Sebastian Ogier and Julien Ingrassia rounded off another successful season with yet another victory in the all conquering VW Polo R WRC.

The newly crowned world champions gave VW a 12th outright victory from 13 rounds, with a 37 second victory from Ford's Mikko Hirvonen, with Jarmo Lehtinen alongside, in the Fiesta WRC.

For the Finns, it was their 163rd and last WRC event after a career spanning some 13 years and romantics were hoping that Ogier would hit last day problems, to give the duo a memorable send off.

The final podium place went to Norway's Mads Ostberg in the factory Citroen DS3 WRC on what was one of his best drives this year.

After last year's successful event, 2014 proved an even bigger hit with spectator numbers up by an estimated 10,000, a full 160 car entry, two British drivers in the top ten and a host of privateers mixing it for the WRC 2 and 3 honours.

It gave the event a tremendous buzz and even the sun shone for two days in Wales in November.

After Thursday's ceremonial start the action began on Friday with two loops of the classic stages of Gatheiniog, Dyfi, Hafren and Maesnant interspersed with a remote service.

At the end of the day Frenchman Ogier held a slender six second lead from team mate Jari-Matti Latvala, with Hirvonen a strong third but over a minute down.

Top British driver was Kris Meeke, 4th in a factory Citroen DS3 WRC, again showing his pace, with Belgian Thierry Neuville rounding out the top five.

Welsh star Elfyn Evans was 7th in a works Fiesta WRC, describing the opening days action as: "Messy and frustrating not to have set the times I wanted to".

Andreas Mikkelsen slid off on the first Dyfi run damaging his radiator, and Finn Juha Hanninen left the road in Hafren in the factory Hyundai i20 WRC.

Saturday's action stayed north with a trip to the notoriously difficult

Clocaenog complex. They were followed by a trip to the faster flowing roads of Aberhirnant and Dyfnant before a blast around Chirk Castle and a repeat loop of the forestry stages, the latter two in darkness.

For Latvala it was a chance to attack from the off, and after three miles the split times showed the Finn 1.7 seconds up on Ogier.

Not long after the team radio broke its silence with "we are off the road".

A square right at the end of one of the long straights had seen Latvala stall the engine under heavy braking and the conditions did the rest.

They lost more three minutes getting out of a ditch and with that went any hope of victory.

With Ogier left to breath a sigh of relief, it was left to Hirvonen to take up the mantel with Kris Meeke hot on his heels as Ostberg punctured on the second run of Aberhirnant.

The final stage of the day saw flashbulbs and fireworks a plenty as Meeke and Hirvonen fought tooth and nail for 2nd spot.

After another tough day it was Ogier who held a 58 second lead from Hirvonen, who was three up on Meeke. Ostberg now 4th was 40 seconds behind his team mate with Neuville 5th and Elfyn Evans 6th.

The final leg saw a return to the Clocaenog complex; two tests in Alwen and Brenig, the latter repeated as the final power stage of 2014, plus two blasts around the Rally Fest Kinmel Park, before a return to the final two forestry stages.

There was hardly a dry eye in the Ford camp on Sunday morning as Hirvonen arrived in the service area for the very last time.

Ogier just needed no mistakes for victory to be his, but it was Kris Meeke who was the biggest loser on the opening Brenig test as the Irishman ran wide on a 6th gear left-hander, dropping into a ditch, puncturing one tyre and damaging another.

He had to soldier on until a right rear tyre let go on the Citroen costing Meeke 51 seconds, a disappointing end to a fantastic drive.

It was left to Ogier to arrive back in Llandudno victorious once more from Hirvonen and Ostberg.

Evans was a creditable 5th, crowning a fantastic year for the Welshman and Meeke finished a cruel 6th place after yet another impressive showing.

The drive of the rally came from young Welshman Osian Pryce. In his first drive in a Fiesta R5 he held 2nd in the WRC 2 category at the end of day one, and was still holding third going into leg two's final test until a puncture cost more than two minutes.

Pryce battled back to finish 18th overall, 6th in WRC 2 and 1st non-priority driver.

Of the locals it was a character building event for Sacha Kakad and Andrew Price in the Westbase backed Ford Fiesta ST.

After a great start the fuel filter came off on stage 3, draining the tank of fuel, so they re-started Saturday under the "super rally" rule, setting fastest class N3 times on leg two, finding the drivers' limits, and were happy to arrive back in Llandudno on Sunday afternoon 52nd overall.

"This was an awesome experience, great fun. The stages in darkness were fantastic with a great atmosphere." said Price.