How Ogier could take the title in Germany

It’s a long shot, but Sebastien Ogier could secure the 2013 FIA WRC drivers’ championship title next week at Rallye Deutschland. If he does, he would have secured a title earlier than his arch rival Sebastien Loeb ever managed.

Ogier heads to Germany with 181 points in the drivers’ standings and a lead over joint second placed Jari-Matti Latvala and Thierry Neuville of 90.

If in Germany Ogier increases his lead over his rivals by 22 points to 112 - the number of points available from the last four rallies - he will be guaranteed the title.

Likely? Ogier isn’t getting his hopes up. “I know we’ll have a first chance to grab the title, though it’s purely mathematic,” he said. “The most important thing is that it happens – I don’t care where, if it’s Australia, France or even later, I will be very happy for that."

If he was to bag the title in Germany, with four rounds of this season still to come, the speed of his achievement would eclipse the record of reigning champion Loeb.

Loeb secured six of his nine titles before the final round but never more than three rallies early. His standout years were 2005, when he clinched the title on round 13 of 16, and 2010 and 2012 when the battle was won after round 11 of 13.