The French champion started the season as a part-time driver but increased his rally entries as the year progressed. So far, he has claimed three victories and three runner-up finishes. However, his last two rallies have been disappointing, as Ogier was still battling Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville for the championship title.
His aggressive push didn’t pay off as he sustained damage to his car in both September’s Rally Greece and the Rally Chile. Now, Ogier’s focus is entirely on Toyota’s fight for the manufacturers’ championship.
“Although I didn’t manage to score the result I was personally hoping for in Chile, I’m pleased we managed to make a perfect weekend as a team and come back much closer in the manufacturers’ championship, which was always my main target for this season,” Ogier states.
“So we are really motivated now to push for the last two events on asphalt.”
Ogier is once again aiming for victory at this week’s Central European Rally. The stages run along the borders of the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria, with Ogier’s current hometown of Munich just under two hours away.
“In Central Europe, it’s nice to have another home rally for me, close to where I live now in Germany, and with a lot of fans watching the stages. From last year, we know that the conditions can be really challenging,” Ogier reflects.
“With very narrow roads, some quite dirty sections and very low grip. It makes things tricky. So we’ve been working to have a car that can give us maximum confidence for these tricky stages.”
The Central European Rally consists of 18 special stages covering just over 300 kilometers. The rally begins on Thursday morning with a shakedown near Prague.
