WRC

Linda Jackson: “Ogier helps bring us closer to people”

The general director of Citroën explains the positive impact of Sébastien Ogier's return to the Reds as well as the brand's WRC strategy.

Published on 30/01/2019 à 14:04

Medhi Casaurang

0 View comments)

Linda Jackson: “Ogier helps bring us closer to people”

Beyond the result and this 100th victory brought to Citroën, how do you appreciate the return of Sébastien Ogier in the team that made his debut in WRC ?

Everyone was able to measure the Ogier effect at Citroën, from the start of the rally. At the service park, I saw people around the structure, and there were two to three times more than usual. We also feel this effect on social networks. Furthermore, Sébastien’s presence motivates people within the team, showing them that we can succeed.

When I arrived at Gap, I felt a very motivated team, which no longer had anything to do with the one I had seen in January 2018. At the level of the general public, Seb and the aura he conveys contribute to bring us closer to people, and I remind you that Citroën is above all a popular brand. We try to recreate this link, and that’s why we chose Sébastien because he is the best driver on the market today.

 

Why did you associate him with Esapekka Lappi?

We are used to training young pilots. On the market, Lappi was among the most promising. Even if his first rally with us did not go well, we expect a lot from his association with Ogier.

That said, his early retirement shows a flaw in your strategy of only entering two cars. When one of the drivers has a problem, it puts the team in a weak position...

It’s an assumed choice. I know you are passionate about rallying, but for me it is a business and I must have a return on investment. We must evolve within the allocated budget. I am not in the position to say “if it doesn’t work, we will extend the budget”. That’s always the easy way out.

With Ogier, the obligation to achieve results is stronger but this budgetary constraint that you speak of will make this mission more difficult...

Yes, but we assume it. We decided to continue in rallying, and we are there for a long time, because after the F1, it is the championship which has the most marketing benefits. Ogier offers us the 100th victory for our centenary, and we will start by exploiting this strong symbol.

 

We have already made the decision to broadcast the WRC live in all dealerships in France, in order to convey the message that Citroën is in the rally to win. But I repeat, our presence must be within a budget because we expect a return on investment. A third car is not possible.

Medhi Casaurang

Passionate about the history of motorsport across all disciplines, I learned to read thanks to AUTOhebdo. At least that's what my parents tell everyone when they see my name inside!

0 View comments)

Read also

Comments

*The space reserved for logged in users. Please connect to be able to respond or post a comment!

0 Comment (s)

To write a comment