hailed the 2025 marketing campaign as his “strongest” within the World Rally Championship and is “tremendous proud” to match ’s file of 9 world titles.
Ogier sealed a surprising ninth crown after ending third in an intense Rally Saudi Arabia finale, beating Toyota team-mate by 4 factors after an exhilarating tussle.
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The title success got here following an unbelievable run of outcomes for Ogier and co-driver regardless of sitting out three rallies (Sweden, Kenya and Estonia) following a call to contest a partial season.
Ogier began 11 occasions this yr, profitable six whereas ending outdoors of the rostrum as soon as following a crash on the Central European Rally. In line with the 41-year-old, the yr is probably 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.
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“It has been an unbelievable run this yr and doubtless the strongest I’ve ever had within the sport in the long run,” Ogier mentioned. “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 rather more than that. Really due to this unbelievable run I used to be thus far up within the championship and was beginning second in Greece for instance.
“It has been a reasonably unbelievable run and it’s by no means going to be simple to repeat this sort of efficiency.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
“I’ve had some nice seasons in my profession already and dealing with improbable groups and clearly the Volkswagen period was very profitable, they usually had been some tremendous robust seasons, however this one is correct on the high, perhaps the perfect.”
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Securing the final word prize in rallying has positioned Ogier alongside Loeb as probably 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 firstly of his profession.
“In fact tremendous blissful and tremendous proud to affix Seb [Loeb] and on the high of the WRC rankings. Once I began in 2008 after all it was by no means a goal to try to obtain that. I believe 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.
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“I’m proud to affix the nine-title membership however tremendous blissful to welcome a brand new member on the earth champion membership as Vincent [Landais] has been doing a improbable job for 3 years now. Earlier than the occasion I felt extra stress to attain it for him than myself.”
Landais added: “It should take time for this to sink in. I’m very pleased with what we’ve performed this yr 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.
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Sebastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Sebastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Ogier set for partial season once more in 2026
“One factor is for certain: I don’t have the motivation anymore to go a full yr,” defined Ogier.
“It makes such a distinction when you’ve this couple of weeks extra at residence and likewise particularly this yr 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 wish to keep away from that as a lot as I can.
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“In order that’s why I introduced subsequent yr I gained’t be competing when he has vacation. I simply discovered an awesome stability like this. I’ll announce it now as a result of I simply needed to cease the hypothesis of when is he coming or not and typically I really feel exhausted with that.
“And I need 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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