Ogier dreams of adding Argentina to his list of achievements

Despite his 46 victories in WRC, Sébastien Ogier has never yet imposed itself on Rally from Argentina. The six-time WRC champion will have the opportunity to add this event to his record next week by returning with Citroën, whose last success on this terrain dates back to 2015 with the success of Kris Meeke.

Sébastien Ogier will indeed have the advantage of starting in second position on the road in the first stage, behind the championship leader Thierry Neuville (Hyundai).

“If I have never won in Argentina, it is an event that I appreciate, and where I have often performed well in the past, which is why I approach it with the same desires as usual . I would even say that I feel a slight increase in desire, at the idea of ​​trying to win this rally for the first time, and with Citroën. Especially since my second place in the starting order gives me more hope than in previous editions”, explains the Gapençais.

“The profile of tracks used is very varied, but I would say that its specificity is above all that it is quite brittle in places, to the point that you sometimes have to think about preserving your mount, while continuing to go fast », specifies the Habs.

Son coéquipier Esapekka Lappi devra encore parfaire son apprentissage puisqu’il n’a découvert le Rallye d’Argentine que l’an dernier, en finissant au 8e rang quand il défendait encore les couleurs de Toyota.

“With only one participation under my belt in this rally which changes little from year to year, I do not a priori leave with an advantage over the competition, notes the Finn. On the other hand, I will have an interesting place in the starting order, and I intend to capitalize on my first promising race with C3 WRC on Mexican soil, to bring back the best possible result from Argentina. I remember some pretty nice special stages, even if you have to be careful with their countless embedded stones which pose a risk of punctures. »

Citroën hopes to regain rhythm in the second gravel round of the season after taking victory in Mexico with Sébastien Ogier. The Chevron manufacturer has won ten times in Argentina.

“We return to the ground with the hope of displaying the same competitiveness as in Mexico and thus continuing our harvest of podiums this year. However, we know how demanding the Argentinian terrain can be for the mechanics, so we are approaching this round with diligence and humility. » insists the director of Citroën Racing Pierre Budar.