Ogier is progressing at full speed

Sébastien Ogier, a year and a half after his debut behind the wheel of the Citroën C4 WRC, won his first Rally World Championship in Portugal. On the one hand, this victory is not surprising, the Gapençais showing, for several months, that he is now at the level of the best. On the other hand, this success is incredibly surprising, as the French driver has progressed at lightning speed.

In 2008, Sébastien Ogier, recently elected Espoir Echappement, began his first world campaign, taking part in the Junior World Championship. At the wheel of the Citroën C2 S1600, he had a string of good performances, victories in his category, and even managed to score a point in the general WRC classification, during his first rally, in Mexico. At the end of the year, he was Junior World Champion. Citroën decided to test him by having him compete in the British Rally at the wheel of the C4 WRC.

The year 2009 was that of confirmation for Ogier, who took part in a partial WRC program, “among the big guys”. Previously, he took the start of the Monte-Carlo Rally and won it at the wheel of the Peugeot 207 S2000. He achieves a feat and Peugeot signs a historic hat-trick. The Gapençais, in the WRC, scored the points for sixth place in his first Rally, in Ireland, and reached the podium for the first time in his career during the Acropolis Rally, the seventh event of the season. He finished the year in eighth place in the World Championship, after having convinced Citroën, with his results, to run him all season.

In 2010, he asserted himself even more. At the Monte-Carlo Rally, at the wheel of the Peugeot 207 S2000, he was faster than Mikko Hirvonen (Ford Fiesta S2000) but lost time by slipping on snow thrown on the road by spectators, before giving up on mechanical breakage. In the World Championship, he quickly showed that he was now close to the best.

Fifth in Sweden, he then reached the podium for the second time in his career at the Rally Mexico. In Jordan, while he competes with Sébastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen, he was slowed down to allow his elder brother not to suffer too much from the sweep and in order to counter the strategy of the Ford drivers. He finished sixth after sacrificing himself.

In Turkey, he showed himself at the forefront and led to the evening of the first day. Inexorably, he becomes a dangerous candidate for his rivals. During the second day, he resisted the return of Sébastien Loeb before suffering a puncture. The next day, he finished fourth. If he is disappointed with his ranking, he knows that he has the weapons to threaten the best.

The following Rally, in New Zealand, was approached without any pressure by Sébastien Ogier who, initially, was not to take part. Leader on the evening of the second day, he still has chances of winning his first WRC rally. He had to contain the attacks of Sébastien Loeb but saw the six-time World Champion make a mistake. Victory was then very close but, three corners from the finish, Ogier spun and allowed Jari-Matti Latvala to win.

Sébastien Ogier arrives in Portugal with the desire to continue what he started earlier in the season. Taking advantage of his position on the road, he won five of the six special stages on the first day and took the lead, opening up a significant gap on his pursuers. During the second day, he resisted the return of Sébastien Loeb very well and retained first place.

During the third day of the Rally, he saw Sébastien Loeb attack him again. But, during the second loop, he managed to lose as little time as possible, maintaining a sufficient margin to win. At the age of 26, and for his 26th start in the WRC, he won his first victory in the World Championship. And, we hope, the first of a long series.

After Sébastien Loeb, Citroën has found a second exceptional Sébastien. At a time when the Formula 1 has neither a French driver nor a French Grand Prix, we must not shy away from the pleasure of seeing the tricolors thus represented in the World Rally Championship.