Titled for the ninth time in his WRC career, this Sunday in Saudi Arabia, Sébastien Ogier does not hide his pride at joining the legendary Sébastien Loeb on the shelves. On the other hand, the now nine-time world champion no longer wants to enter into the game of comparisons with the Alsatian.
Since Sunday and his new WRC coronation, won in Saudi Arabia during the final round of the season, Sébastien Ogier (41) also has nine world championship titles in the category. Why him too? Because before the new feat of the Gapençais, once again mounted on the roof of the planet even though he is only partially competing in the seasons (“Even the fact that we did three races less than our competitors, with ten podiums out of eleven rallies, that was enough to get the title”), when we thought of a French driver crowned nine times in the WRC, we inevitably thought of Sébastien Loeb.
Since this weekend, there are now two of them who can boast of having such a track record. Ogier, interviewed Sunday evening as part of the Stade 2 program on France 3makes no secret of it: this ninth title delights him to the highest degree, just as he is delighted to have joined the Alsatian in the pantheon of his sport.
“It’s always difficult to go behind such a champion, who has dominated the sport for so long (…) But I am proud to join him at the top of the WRC and FIA championships in general, because we are the only two nine-time world champions in the history of motorsport. Above all, it is a source of pride for France. »
Ogier: “Perhaps my best season”
On the other hand, the now nine-time star (“considering winning a championship when you don’t participate in all the races, it wasn’t really realistic”), no longer wishes to indulge in the game of comparisons with his illustrious predecessor that the media constantly imposes on him. “For my part, I prefer to stop comparing us or trying who is the better of the two, but rather to appreciate that two great champions have worn the French colors for so long. » Perhaps even the other “Seb” of the rally in France will very quickly become the first of the two to hold ten trophies. Next season, Ogier plans to line up again, still partially.
A cocktail that worked wonders this year. The French pilot also believes that he had perhaps never been so strong. “By doing a few fewer errands and having a few more weeks at home, I am more fulfilled and the desire to go shopping is there again. And it shows through my performances this year, because it is perhaps my best season ever (…) I found this renewal, this motivation and this desire to go back stronger than before. This one really wasn’t planned.” Even if the flavor will never be the same as when it started. “The first is always something special, because it’s really the one where we achieve our dreams. »
