WRC – Ott Tänak: “Sébastien Ogier is not untouchable”

You've already been on the podium. Do you now feel capable of fighting for victory?

I don't know when I will be able to fight for victory on earth. For now, we must persevere. But I am fully aware that it will be difficult and that the road is still long. Sébastien Ogier is not untouchable. He's a human being. I think it's possible to beat him. His strength today is having a high level of confidence. This is why I strive to be consistent and obtain a series of good results to also give me confidence. You have to put a lot of things together to compete against him. Good grades, experience, a high-performance car... It's a question of details that must all work. But it is possible, I am convinced.

Do you think that the difference in budget between M-Sport and the factory teams play a role in your results?

Of course, money has always created huge differences between motorsports. It is obvious in F1 between the rich teams and those at the back of the grid. Motorsport is very expensive and budgets are extremely important. But that doesn't stop you from getting results. M-Sport's budget is perhaps ten times lower than the others, but the team is very close to the factories. And even close to victory on a good day. This means that the work done by Malcolm Wilson and the entire team is fantastic…

Are you confident of keeping your place in 2016?

I know I have to do my job well in order to find a place for next year. For now, I'm focusing on each rally. Markko (Martin, his manager) does his job on his side. I don't know if it will be with M-Sport or elsewhere. Let's start by getting results, otherwise I won't have any chance of getting a shuttle in WRC next season, even at M-Sport.

Discover the full interview withOtt Tänak in issue 2024 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms, and on newsstands tomorrow.