Ogier tipped for the top

Citroen Junior Team driver Sebastien Ogier - who came tantalisingly close to claiming his debut World Rally Championship victory in New Zealand - has been tipped for a manufacturer seat next year by Sven Smeets: the team manager of Citroen’s factory team.

With Ogier consistently outperforming Citroen’s official number two this year, Dani Sordo, the Frenchman has been linked to a move up to the works squad. But Smeets, formerly co-driver to Freddy Loix, ruled out the possibility of Ogier switching over this year - as the team feels that he still needs to build up more experience on asphalt: a surface where Sordo is extremely strong.

“For the moment, Sebastien Ogier is progressing on a learning curve that is unbelievable,” said Smeets, standing in for team chief Olivier Quesnel, who did not make the trip to New Zealand. “Since the start of this year he has put himself up on the leaderboard with all the top drivers, which is very good for us. But I think that he still has to make some learning progress on asphalt. I think it’s very good for him to do that in the same way that he is approaching all the other rallies for the moment. Then by the end of the year we will have somebody who is maybe ready for a manufacturer team.”

Despite Sordo’s recent struggles and the consequent public criticism he has received from Quesnel, Smeets backed Sordo to bounce back on the next event, the Rally Portugal at the end of the month.

“Dani was sometimes unhappy with the car and sometimes unhappy with himself in New Zealand,” added Smeets. “Now we’re going to Portugal and he really likes Portugal. He’s been a very, very good performer there. We really hope that he can do in Portugal what Jari-Matti Latvala did in New Zealand."