OGIER NEARLY BUT NOT QUITE

TOUCHING DISTANCE ISN’T QUITE TOUCHING. And that’s why Sebastien Ogier retained his natural conservatism after the finish of the

Rally of Spain on Sunday.

Yes, he might be 37 points ahead of

M-sport team-mate Ott Tanak, with the only other man capable of lifting the title this year, Thierry Neuville, one point behind the Estonian, but there are still 60 points on offer from the last two rallies.

“Everything is still possible,” said the Frenchman. “We are close, but we are not there yet, so nothing is done.”

Hard to argue with that logic. But what does he have to do in order to dance a jig when Rally GB reaches its climax outside

Marks and Sparks in Llandudno in a fortnight’s time? In simple terms, he needs to depart

Wales bound for New South Wales with at least 30 of those points intact.

If Tanak wins GB and then takes the five powerstage points too, the best Ogier can hope for is 22 points (second overall and second on powerstage), which would leave him even more tantalisingly close, with a 29-point lead ahead of the final round.

The easiest way for Ogier to look at it is to go to Wales in search of a fifth win on

Britain’s round of the championship. That would offer symmetry in that it would bring him his fifth world title.

The championship – and an epic Kris Meeke win aside – the other thing occupying most of the airtime in Salou was Ogier’s destination next season. And word on the Spanish street is that his most likely option will be to stay where he is at M-sport.

A Citroen deal is reckoned to be financially out of reach of the French firm, and Hyundai’s stable, complete with recent signing Andreas Mikkelsen, is now full.