Sebastien Ogier says he is back to full fitness ahead of this week's fourth round of the World Rally Championship in Portugal.
The Frenchman, who leads the drivers’ championship, missed Saturday’s
rally warm-up event, the Fafe Rally Sprint, because of a dose of the
‘flu.
“I'm feeling much better now,” said Ogier, “Withdrawing from the Fafe Rally Sprint was a very tough decision, especially given all the enthusiastic fans. However, it was the right decision in order to allow me to recover fully.”
The Volkswagen team-leader will start Rally de Portugal as one of the favourites to win it. He has done that with Citroen twice before and finished seventh in 2012 at the wheel of a Super 2000 specification Skoda Fabia.
This year he will drive a Polo R World Rally Car, along with team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala. For the first time, Volkswagen will also enter a third Polo R for new team member Andreas Mikkelsen.
As he makes final preparations ahead of Thursday’s start ceremony in the Algarve, Ogier explained that his past experience should help him in his quest for a hat trick.
“I am confident that we will follow on from our excellent recent performances in Portugal, as I really like the rally,” he said.
“It is one of my favourite rallies. In 2010 it was the scene of my first victory in the World Rally Championship, and I won again there in 2011. That makes it the only WRC rally that I have won twice in my career – so far.”
“I'm feeling much better now,” said Ogier, “Withdrawing from the Fafe Rally Sprint was a very tough decision, especially given all the enthusiastic fans. However, it was the right decision in order to allow me to recover fully.”
The Volkswagen team-leader will start Rally de Portugal as one of the favourites to win it. He has done that with Citroen twice before and finished seventh in 2012 at the wheel of a Super 2000 specification Skoda Fabia.
This year he will drive a Polo R World Rally Car, along with team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala. For the first time, Volkswagen will also enter a third Polo R for new team member Andreas Mikkelsen.
As he makes final preparations ahead of Thursday’s start ceremony in the Algarve, Ogier explained that his past experience should help him in his quest for a hat trick.
“I am confident that we will follow on from our excellent recent performances in Portugal, as I really like the rally,” he said.
“It is one of my favourite rallies. In 2010 it was the scene of my first victory in the World Rally Championship, and I won again there in 2011. That makes it the only WRC rally that I have won twice in my career – so far.”
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