Exceptional drivers Sébastien Ogier continues to work in the Rallye Championships to be promising as a part-time force.
The Frenchman in the Toyota won the Rally Chile in front of his colleague Elfyn Evans (Wales) on Sunday, he climbed to the top of the overall ranking. Ogier fights for his ninth World Cup title, it would be a special: he would do the same with record world champion Sébastien Loeb.
At the beginning of the year, this triumph for Ogier still seemed extremely unlikely, because the 41-year-old only wanted to take part in selected rally in 2025.
Chile was already the eleventh season unit, Ogier only took part in eight events. He ended each one of them on the podium, he won five rally. With 224 points, it is now just ahead of Evans (222) and the Finn Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota/203).
In view of the unexpected title chance, Ogier had already decided after Rallye Finland in August to take part in all remaining events.
“It is exciting to be part of this all -around,” he said in summer, “the plan is to attack fully now.” It continues at the Rallye Central Europe (October 16 to 19), which leads from Passau through Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Afterwards there are only the World Cup runs in Japan and Saudi Arabia.