Championship leader Ogier out of German rally

BERLIN (Reuters) - Frenchman Sebastian Ogier's hopes of clinching his first world championship title this weekend ended with a broken front left suspension among rolling vinyards on the first day of the German rally on Friday.

Volkswagen driver Ogier, who had damaged his suspension in a previous stage, had to pull out midway through the Moselland special stage after his hasty repairs failed to work, ending his chance of winning the drivers' title this weekend.

It was the second retirement of the season for Ogier, who became only the fifth non-Nordic driver earlier this month to win the Finland rally.

Ogier leads the standings with 181 points, with Finn Jari-Matti Latvala and Thierry Neuville both on 91. Four races remain after the German rally.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by John Mehaffey)