Loeb and Ogier neck and neck

Sébastien Ogier (Citroen C4 WRC), like Saturday, must assume the difficult role of opener, while having to attack to maintain its position. The will of the Gapençais is rewarded since, in the two stages of the first loop this Sunday, he achieved the second time. Each time, he was beaten by Sébastien Loeb (Citroën C4 WRC), which took eleven seconds from him.

On Saturday morning, the Citroën Junior Team driver also lost a lot of time on his elder brother. But, in the afternoon, during the second pass through the special stages, he managed to maintain his lead over the six-time World Champion. It is this performance that he will have to achieve at the end of the morning if he wants to celebrate his first WRC victory.

In any case, it will not be slowed down by the management of Citroën Racing. Olivier Quesnel gives his drivers carte blanche, requiring them only to stay on the road until the end. “ All I'm sure of is that it will be a Citroën and a Seb », declared Olivier Quesnel before the start of the second loop, concerning the identity of the winner of the event.

Sébastien Loeb, although he managed to make up 11 of his 21 seconds behind, is not necessarily optimistic at the end of the first loop. Despite the time gained in the first two stages, the passage through the second loop could prove less successful. “ I don't know how it will evolve, yesterday afternoon he was very fast, we'll see how it goes “, confided Loeb. “ It won't be easy, I really pushed very hard this morning, I was at the limit everywhere. »

For his part, Sébastien Ogier knows that a first WRC victory is possible, even if he will first have to reach the finish. “ I can't attack fully because the boss asked me to finish the Rally. Of course, it is possible to win and I want this victory. But it will be tight. »