Sébastien Ogier loves Argentina

In Villa Carlos Paz, center of Rally in Argentina, as in the entire province of Cordoba, the climatic conditions are particularly mild for the season. The southern autumn has begun, but temperatures are still flirting with 30°. This could only be temporary: some are forecasting rain from Saturday.

“The landscapes are still as beautiful,” enthuses Sébastien Ogier, « but the surface seems much more brittle to me than in 2008. The ground is very dry and the stones are much more numerous. You'll have to be careful. »

Since the start of the year, the “new Seb” has multiplied very good times and errors, sometimes avoidable, and always excessively penalizing. “I need regularity,” confirms the pilot. “This does not necessarily mean reducing the pace of my riding, but being more consistent in my concentration, in taking and listening to my notes. In Portugal, on the first day, I started the rally calmly before gradually increasing the pace. I was driving at ease, but on Saturday morning, a single moment of inattention cost me dearly. Rather than slowing down, this is the kind of mistake I absolutely must avoid. If I feel good in the car, I see no reason not to “send”. If I'm here, it's to drive. »

In the absence of Evgeniy Novikov, Sébastien Ogier is for the first time nominated to score points in favor of the Citroën Junior Team: “This does not change anything in the way I approach the race, since my goal is to complete the three steps without problem. »

The Rally Argentina begins this Thursday evening, with a first pass on the super special stage in the Cordoba stadium. On this occasion, the starts are given in reverse order (the best start last). The results will be known around 21 p.m., i.e. Friday, around 2 a.m. French time.