WRC champion Sébastien Ogier admitted to hospital after severe crash

The Rally Finland has ended in alarming fashion for nine-time WRC champion Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia, after the pair were involved in a frightening high-speed crash that resulted in both men being taken to hospital.

The incident occurred during Special Stage 17, the 19.1-kilometre Västilä 2 test, at which point the French duo had been leading the rally.

At high speed, their Toyota left the road and struck several trees before coming to rest upside down. Both Ogier and Ingrassia were able to exit the vehicle under their own power, though Ogier was subsequently airlifted to hospital while Ingrassia was transported by ambulance. Crucially, both men remained conscious throughout.

Several hours after the crash, Ogier took to social media to provide an update on their condition.

"Unfortunately, we went off the road in SS17 today," he posted. "Julien and I have both gone to hospital for some checks, and we will stay overnight as a precaution after the heavy impact. But we both feel ok, which is the most important.

"This is of course not what we had hoped for this weekend, especially after it was going so well.

"But the main thing is that we are in one piece; therefore, a big thank you to the team for building such a strong car. Also, I need to thank Julien for taking good care of me immediately after the impact and reassuring my family that I am well.

"We will take some rest now and make sure we are back to full strength soon, and thank you for all the messages we received.

"Good luck to my team mates. Bring it home, guys!"

Ogier and Ingrassia were not the only pairing to suffer a significant incident on Saturday. Earlier in the day, during Special Stage 14, championship leader Elfyn Evans had also left the road, rolling his car three times before coming to a halt in a field. Remarkably, Evans was able to continue in the rally after the incident.

In a twist of fate, it was Ogier and Ingrassia who had stopped to assist Evans following that earlier crash. Their own rally, however, would not have the same outcome.

Also notable is that Ingrassia was standing in as co-driver for this event, as Ogier's regular navigator, Vincent Landais, was unable to travel to Finland due to personal circumstances.

Watch Ogier and Ingrassia's crash below!