Sébastien Ogier: “It’s impossible to do better”

Sick during the night from Friday to Saturday, Sébastien Ogier could not attack the piece de resistance of the Rally from Finland in the best conditions. The pilot Citroën Racing nevertheless showed combativeness throughout the second stage of the Nordic event, even going for a time to seek fourth place against Andreas Mikkelsen (Hyundai).

In the end, it is a fifth place which will conclude the “3D” round of the WRC 2019 for the world champion who tried everything against his former teammate at Volkswagen Motorsport without success… “It was a close battle, comments Ogier after the finish.

We tried as best as possible, but we failed to gain this position and we have to settle for this fifth place. I wasn't aiming for this place at the start of the rally but it wasn't possible to do better.

It was much better on the last day. It was complicated the day before, firstly staying on the road and concentrating with so little energy. But in the end, I don't think it cost us too many points because even on Sunday, in better shape, I couldn't go any faster. »

Now relegated to 22 pointsOtt Tänak in the Drivers' championship, the defending champion knows that Germany at the end of August will be of capital importance in closing the gap on the driver of the Toyota Gazoo Racing, winner on the other side of the Rhine in 2018, at the heart of its series of three victories in a row between Finland and Turkey.

“Ott did a superb job this weekend, with great driving as he often does, underlines Ogier. In the championship he takes a good step forward this weekend, we can't say the same thing for us. »

Discover the full report and analysis of the Rally Finland, produced by our special correspondent, in issue 2228 of AUTOhebdo, available this evening in digital version, and this Wednesday on newsstands.