Sébastien Ogier: "Psychologically, we are in a position of strength."

How are you feeling after such an intense weekend?

There's a sense of relief that it's over, because we had the worst possible conditions to finish the race. We'd just led for three days in the dry with plenty of grip when the rain came. It was heavy, with quite a few aquaplaning spots, lots of traps… We also used tires (Hankook) that we didn't know very well, or hardly at all under these conditions. There were many questions this (Sunday) In the morning, and when you finish having dominated the stage to get the maximum number of points, there can be a little moment of euphoria crossing the finish line… but that's not really my style. You have to be satisfied with this type of performance, even though I believe you should always look to the future.

You score 35 points and are now only 3 points behind Elfyn Evans. Is that a big blow to her morale?

Psychologically, I think we're in a strong position. In the 10 rallies we've competed in, we've always dominated him. The only race where he finished ahead of us was the CER, where we had a puncture and went off the road. Honestly, that doesn't mean much. Only the result will count, more than the manner of the finish.

After two days of dry conditions, you had to face the rain. How did you handle that day?

We knew it would be there… but that didn't make things any easier. We had to navigate a wet road while keeping in mind the points at stake and knowing how narrow and tricky the roads are. We completely changed the car's setup, and it proved excellent. It took me a few kilometers to find my confidence, but when there wasn't too much water on the asphalt, it was quite enjoyable to drive.

Previously, you weren't very keen on going to the final in Saudi Arabia; and yet…

We have to do it! My only wish now is that this event lives up to expectations, because it's our first time here and there are still a lot of unanswered questions. We haven't necessarily heard only positive things about this round. I hope it won't be a lottery. We deserve a great finale after such an intense season. I'll repeat what I said at the CER: the hardest part is over this weekend because we've closed the gap to Elfyn and Scott, but there's still a lot of work to do.

So, how exactly are you going to prepare for this meeting that nobody knows about?

I'm going to watch some videos. We had a team that went there last year with Juho Hänninen (former pilot, now a member of the staff) Toyota. Editor’s note). I think it's more the nature of the terrain that will create a lot of surprises throughout the race. That's not the kind of thing I enjoy. As I often say, I'll do the best I can with what I have. If we get the job done, I won't have any regrets. If it works out, great. If not, it won't be the end of the world. But, having done everything we've done so far, it would be… how can I put it? It would still hurt.

Interview conducted by Loïc Rocci, in Japan.

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