The gravel roads of Finland were quite disastrous for Toyota this year. At one point, it seemed as if Toyota would significantly reduce Hyundai’s lead in the manufacturers’ championship, but one car after another dropped out of the race.
Kalle Rovanperä went off the road on the penultimate special stage, losing what looked like a certain victory. Before that, Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta had already ruined their own races. In the end, Ogier took the win, making the Frenchman practically Toyota’s only hope in the championship battle.
Ogier eventually decided to compete in all the remaining events of the season, though in Finland, he didn’t seem motivated at all. Now, Ogier has revealed in an interview with AutoHebdo what made him change his mind.
“In Jyväskylä, the feelings were strange, with that chaotic rally finish leading to a victory that didn’t taste like a success,” Ogier explained.
“At the time, there was so much frustration for the whole team due to the weekend’s poor results,” he added.
Ogier admits that he regained his passion for driving in Greece, even though that event didn’t go smoothly either. However, Ogier has never been one to give up. The fight continues until the whistle blows.
“If I commit to something, it’s not to do it halfway,” Ogier said.
“Once we decided to do the last four rounds, of course, I intended to give it my all. That didn’t stop me from being realistic about our chances before the start. They weren’t great, and they’re even less so now, but we’ll keep fighting,” Ogier emphasised.
Ogier dropped to third in the drivers’ championship after his crash on the Power Stage at the Acropolis Rally. He’s now 38 points behind championship leader Thierry Neuville of Hyundai, a gap that seems almost impossible to close under the current points system.
“You have to believe until the end. We’ve got nothing to lose at this point in the season. Whether there’s a crown or not at the end of the championship, we want to finish strong. Up until now, our run of results was excellent, and I want to make the most of the last three rounds,” Ogier affirmed.
Next, Ogier will attempt to enjoy the upcoming Rally Chile, which takes place next week. The event runs from 26th to 29th September.
