NO REST FOR THE SIX-TIME CHAMPION
Sebastien Ogier will begin testing his Citroen C3 WRC for next season in Portugal next week.
The Frenchman confirmed he will drive the C3 for four days before the end of the year, with the first two coming as development running in the Algarve.
“I have two days on gravel and two days on Tarmac,” Ogier told MN. “I will try to make the best of it – but don’t forget that before 2017, when I joined M-sport, I had only one and a half days.”
Ogier admitted his sixth title defence would be as big a challenge as anything else he’d faced. He added: “Next year is going to be a big challenge because the others are really ready – they had some time with their car and their team. For us we probably need some time to change, to adapt and to make [the car] suit better for us. It’s a big challenge, but this is what makes it exciting for me.”
Citroen team principal Pierre Budar is equally excited – especially as Ogier will put the number ones on the doors of a Citroen for the first time since 2013.
“We are very happy for Sebastien’s result in Australia,” Budar said. “It’s nice that he comes back to us with the number one, but we know we have work to do with the car and to get everything ready for next year. We have some test on gravel in Portugal next week, this is for the development of the car and then before Christmas he will begin his Monte Carlo testing.”