Tänak announced in November that he would step away from the World Rally Championship for the time being. The 2019 world champion did not rule out a potential return, so he may not have ended his rally career for good.
Ogier, a nine-time world champion, has fought fierce battles against Tänak over the years. Most often Ogier came out on top, but particularly during Tänak’s Toyota seasons in 2018 and 2019 he became a genuine threat to the Frenchman.
In his first year with Toyota, Tänak ultimately finished third in the standings with Ogier taking the title. But in 2019 Tänak dominated the championship and ended Ogier’s six-year title streak.
At the end of this year, Ogier wanted to comment on the departure of his long-time rival from the WRC. He admitted that the news affected him deeply when Tänak revealed his break after Rally Japan.
“As you all know, Ott Tänak won’t be competing in the WRC next year, and I think we can all agree that this is a real loss for our sport,” Ogier wrote on his social media channels.
“On a personal level, I will truly miss him. As a competitor, he was probably the one who pushed me the hardest, who forced me to dig deeper and go closer to my limits than anyone else throughout my career. But even more than that, I will miss him as a friend.”
Tänak plans to spend more time with his family in the future. Ogier has raced on a part-time schedule with Toyota in recent years for the same reason.
“Ott, you are a great family man, someone I truly respect. I hope you enjoy every moment with your loved ones and embrace this new chapter with the same strength and honesty you’ve always shown. Life has a way of surprising us, and who knows what paths may still cross again.”
“Maybe this is goodbye. Or maybe it’s simply see you later.”
