Sebastien Ogier hailed the 2025 marketing campaign as his “strongest” within the World Rally Championship and is “tremendous proud” to match Sebastien Loeb’s file of 9 world titles.
Ogier sealed a shocking ninth crown after ending third in an intense Rally Saudi Arabia finale, beating Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans by 4 factors after an exciting tussle.
The title success got here following an unimaginable run of outcomes for Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais regardless of sitting out three rallies (Sweden, Kenya and Estonia) following a choice to contest a partial season.
Ogier began 11 occasions this 12 months, successful six whereas ending exterior of the rostrum as soon as following a crash on the Central European Rally. Based on the 41-year-old, the 12 months is doubtlessly his greatest marketing campaign ever.
The final time Ogier gained greater than six rallies in a season got here in 2016, whereas his most dominant marketing campaign – his first title in 2013 with Volkswagen – included 9 wins and simply two rallies the place he was off the rostrum.
“It has been an unimaginable run this 12 months and doubtless the strongest I’ve ever had within the sport ultimately,” Ogier stated. “In fact, I did three much less rallies and a few rallies I benefitted a bit from the beginning place, however the fact is many drivers within the championship profit way more than that. Truly due to this unimaginable run I used to be to date up within the championship and was beginning second in Greece for instance.
“It has been a reasonably unimaginable run and it’s by no means going to be simple to repeat this type of efficiency.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photograph by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
“I’ve had some nice seasons in my profession already and dealing with implausible groups and clearly the Volkswagen period was very profitable, and so they have been some tremendous sturdy seasons, however this one is correct on the high, perhaps the most effective.”
Securing the final word prize in rallying has positioned Ogier alongside Loeb as essentially the most profitable driver within the championship’s historical past with 9 titles. Whereas matching Loeb has by no means been a goal, Ogier admitted attaining such a file by no means appeared achievable initially of his profession.
“In fact tremendous pleased and tremendous proud to affix Seb [Loeb] and Daniel Elena on the high of the WRC rankings. Once I began in 2008 after all it was by no means a goal to attempt to obtain that. I feel many individuals, and me included, thought these sorts of numbers would most likely by no means be matched and it’ll take some time, and now right here I’m.
“However on the identical time it has by no means been a fixation, and after 4 years in the past, once I gained my final title in 2021, I made a cross subsequent to this goal and by no means actually set this goal.
“I’m proud to affix the nine-title membership however tremendous pleased to welcome a brand new member on the planet champion membership as Vincent [Landais] has been doing a implausible job for 3 years now. Earlier than the occasion I felt extra strain to attain it for him than myself.”
Landais added: “It is going to take time for this to sink in. I’m very pleased with what now we have performed this 12 months and it was an ideal season I might say. Once I joined him, I had a sure degree however the degree I’ve now’s fully totally different. He [Seb] has made me a good higher co-driver.”
Ogier introduced shortly after the end of Rally Saudi Arabia that he’ll contest 10 rallies with Toyota in 2026.
Sebastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photograph by: Toyota Racing
Ogier set for partial season once more in 2026
“One factor is for positive: I don’t have the motivation anymore to go a full 12 months,” defined Ogier.
“It makes such a distinction when you could have this couple of weeks extra at house and in addition particularly this 12 months I needed to miss, for the primary time, one vacation week with my son and it was throughout Rally Japan. So it was well worth the journey, I wanted these factors, however yeah it didn’t really feel so nice and I need to keep away from that as a lot as I can.
“In order that’s why I introduced subsequent 12 months I gained’t be competing when he has vacation. I simply discovered an amazing steadiness like this. I’ll announce it now as a result of I simply wished to cease the hypothesis of when is he coming or not and typically I really feel exhausted with that.
“And I would like additionally to shut the mouth of the individuals who simply say, ‘oh he simply comes when he feels it’s simpler or no matter’ so simply easy: you look the calendar, when it’s a German faculty vacation I gained’t be there and in any other case I’ll make 10 rallies, and that’s it.”
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