Ogier enthusiastic about the new route in Corsica

Sébastien Ogier will once again be one of the contenders for victory in the Tour de Corse contested next week. The double winner in Monte-Carlo and Mexico this season is all the more motivated as he has already won twice in Rally of the 10 Turns (in 000 on the Volkswagen Polo R WRC and last year in the Ford Fiesta WRC).

“The route has changed quite a bit this year, but that was already the case during my previous participations, which means that I have often had to discover new special stages here, and that is not to displease me. This adds a little stress and adrenaline to the race, and can also contribute to bigger gaps than usual. When you set out to explore like this, it's clearly the one who did a very good job during the reconnaissance, and who dares to go all out, trusting his notes, who makes the difference.", comments the six-time WRC champion.

“We also know the qualities of the C3 WRC on the asphalt, likewise our preparatory tests proved to be very productive, with good sensations behind the wheel, so I approach our national round of the WRC with the heart of good do and continue our momentum », specifies the national pilot of the event.

His teammate Esapekka Lappi will also have high goals even if his best result remains a 6th place obtained last year on the Isle of Beauty.

“I’ve always really enjoyed this rally, and I’m really looking forward to it. I like driving on pure asphalt like here or in Catalonia. The challenge will be to take good entry notes, because in my opinion they are even more important on asphalt than on dirt, to adopt the ideal trajectory, and know what speed to maintain in turns. With the revised route, we will all start on an equal footing, and although the exercise will not be easy, it is an opportunity to be seized for us, who generally have less knowledge of the terrain in other events. Our tests in any case have given me confidence and I hope to be at least as competitive as last year”, explains the Finn.

Citroën Racing will be keen to do well at home, its last success dating back to 2008 when the Chevron brand added the Tour de Corse six times to its record.

“The French round of the WRC is necessarily a special event for us and in front of our public, we are determined to climb on the podium for the fourth consecutive time in as many rounds, assures the director of Citroën Racing Pierre Budar. However, we know how unforgiving this terrain can be, especially as the course places emphasis on endurance, and at this time of year the weather could also have a say. In any case, both Sébastien and Esapekka have already demonstrated their undeniable burst of speed on this profile, this is also the case for the C3 WRC, and the preparation carried out on site last week allows us to approach it in good spirits. »