Sebastien Ogier impresses with strong results in his part-time season with Toyota in the 2023 World Rally Championship (WRC). The eight-time champion has competed in three out of four races and has taken two wins in Monte Carlo and Mexico. With a fifth place finish in Croatia, the Frenchman leads the overall standings, level on points with his team-mate Elfyn Evans.
The Sardinia Rally (1st to 4th June) will be Ogier’s next outing. Toyota had already hinted at this a few days ago. Now it’s confirmed. “Initially I did myself [auf Sardinien] a bit difficult, but over the years I’ve come to love this rally,” says Ogier, who has won four times on the Italian island.
2013, 2014, 2015 and 2021 are the years of Ogier victories in Sardinia. “I have good memories of 2021 because we managed to get the win, even though we had to open the stages. Because something like that is actually hardly possible, such victories are particularly valuable. Hopefully I won’t have to open this year, but it will be challenging enough as it is.”
Ogier ended his full-time career after the 2021 WRC season to spend more time with his family. In 2022 he contested a total of six rallies, and Sardinia will be his fourth stop in the 2023 season. The race in Italy is the sixth of 13 rallies on the 2023 World Championship calendar. Ogier skips the Portugal Rally (11th to 14th May).
In the overall standings, Ogier leads despite his part-time programme, but he will most likely lose a few positions after the Rally Portugal. He and Evans each have 69 points, followed by current champion Kalle Rovanperä on 68 points. Ott Tänak in the M-Sport-Ford is also within striking distance with 65 points, Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville is fifth with 58 points.
The Rally Croatia was turbulent recently: Neuville retired while in the lead, Evans clinched victory. Ogier was penalized during the rally for not wearing his seat belt properly. Also, a fight broke out between fans on the track, which almost ended in tragedy when a car was shot at.