Ogier feared victory run would end in Sardinia

Sebastien Ogier has admitted that it didn’t take him long to realise that his run of victories in the world championship would come to an end on Rally d’Italia Sardegna last week.

Ogier, at the wheel of a Citroen Total World Rally Team DS3 WRC, finished fourth overall on the gravel event having won the two previous rounds in Portugal and Jordan.

Although his pace steadily improved throughout the Italian round to the extent that he was challenging for a podium finish on the final day of the rally, he never recovered from a lacklustre opening day, which he completed 55.5s off top spot.

“This is not my favourite rally and the broken rear suspension I had on the final day is confirmation of that,” said Ogier. “Fourth place is not bad but we failed to achieve our aim of finishing on the podium. I lacked experience in this rally in relation to the other drivers. I never really felt relaxed as I was absolutely determined to finish an event in which I’ve never had much luck on.”

Ogier left Sardinia trailing team-mate and world championship leader Sebastien Loeb by nine points with five rounds of this year’s WRC run. Next stop for the 27-year-old Frenchman is Rally Argentina at the end of the month, an event where Ogier also fears he won’t necessarily be able to run at the front.

“Argentina will be difficult because I’ve done this rally only one time,” said the DS3 WRC ace. “Like Sardinia compared to the other rallies it will be difficult although I do like the stages there. But it will not be easy because there are some Tarmac sections and we will only have the soft [compound gravel] tyre.”