Ogier tops Corsica shakedown

Sébastien Ogier topped the times in a sun-kissed shakedown at the Che Guevara Energy Drink Tour de Corse on Thursday morning.

Jari-Matti Latvala and Thierry Neuville posted the benchmark time through the opening pass of the 5.40km Sorbo Ocagnano test near the Bastia service park. Ogier eclipsed that time on his second run and went even faster in his Ford Fiesta WRC on his third and final attempt.

“I was really happy during our pre-event test and now in shakedown. The feeling in the first run wasn’t fantastic but we did some small adjustments and I have to say I have a good feeling with the Fiesta on asphalt, at the moment better than on gravel,” said Ogier.

“The experience of the previous events is helping. In Monte-Carlo we had a little bit of dry asphalt and we’ve had more time for testing, so I feel more and more ready for each rally.

“The route is the same as last year and that was only six months ago, so it feels we’re running in a place where we have a lot of references already. Shakedown was very close and it could be similar during the rally,” added Ogier, who defends a convincing 2016 win.

The Frenchman was quickest by 0.6sec, but behind him less than a second covered the next six drivers in the dry and sunny asphalt test.

Hayden Paddon charged up the order from eighth to second with a strong final run in his Hyundai i20 Coupe. Kris Meeke completed the top three in a Citroën C3, 0.3sec adrift of the Kiwi. The Briton also produced his best performance in the last of three runs.

Latvala’s Toyota Yaris and Neuville’s i20 Coupe were tied in fourth courtesy of their opening time, 0.2sec behind Meeke. Ott Tänak rounded out the top half dozen, another two-tenths behind in a Fiesta.

Top 10 shakedown:

1. Sébastien Ogier Ford Fiesta 3’50’’7
2. Hayden Paddon Hyundai i20 Coupe 3’51’’3
3. Kris Meeke Citroën C3 3’51’’6
4. Thierry Neuville Hyundai i20 Coupe 3’51’’8
5. Jari-Matti Latvala Toyota Yaris 3’51’’8
6. Ott Tänak Ford Fiesta 3’52’’0
7. Dani Sordo Hyundai i20 Coupe 3’52’’2
8. Craig Breen Citroën C3 3’52’’7
9. Stéphane Lefebvre Citroën C3 3’54’’0
10. Elfyn Evans Ford Fiesta 3’55’’0