Q&A: Sebastien Ogier

  

With three wins from five rallies, Sebastien Ogier has enjoyed an incredible start to his debut season with Volkswagen. 

It’s been so good that comparisons, inevitably, have been drawn between Ogier and the nine-time world champion who shares his forename. 

Is he the new Loeb? No doubt the question was flattering for a while, but by Rally Argentina it was clear that Ogier was sick of being asked it fifty times a day.
Sensing it was time for a new line of questioning, wrc.com whisked Ogier to a tranquil setting to answer the wrc.com questionnaire – that features absolutely no questions about his former team-mate.
Here’s what we learned:
Q: What do you do in the last 30 seconds before you start a stage?
"I check my belts and leave the door open as long as I can to get some fresh air. The rest is all about building concentration. Julien and I tend not to talk in the last seconds before the start because we both know what to do."
Q: Apart from your co-driver, who is the most important member of your team?
"Rally is a team sport, so everybody is important to its success – from cook to mechanic. But being with [VW technical manager] Francois-Xavier Demaison is important to me because he ́s like the father of the Polo and also he ́s French, so sometimes for me it ́s nice to have a little chat in French with him."
Q) Are you superstitious? If so, do you carry anything lucky in your car?
"No, not at all. I don’t carry anything in the car which I don ́t need. That would be extra weight."
Q) What is your favourite stage in the WRC and why?
"That’s a difficult question because there are so many nice stages in WRC. On tarmac it‘s probably Moulinet [Rallye Monte-Carlo] and on gravel Ouninpohja in Finland – the speed and jumps make it huge fun to drive."
Q) What is the most difficult stage in the WRC and why? 
"Also not an easy one, so far this year I’d say Burzet – St. Martial from Rallye Monte-Carlo - especially with slick tyres on ice and snow."
Q) What has been the best moment of your WRC career so far? 
"My victory in Sweden this year. That was just a perfect rally and the first win with VW. We had a big fight with Sebastien Loeb, there was a lot of pressure from him so we had to go everywhere flat out. Also my very first victory in Portugal [2010] will always have a special place in my heart."
Q) If you weren’t competing in the WRC, which WRC driver would you like to be and why? 
"Maybe Ari Vatanen in a Group B car and to challenge like him at Pikes Peak. It must have been an amazing feeling to drive in those days."
Q) What has been the most frightening moment of your career so far? 
"My crash on Rallye Monte-Carlo 2011. When you lose the car at 160kph and are heading towards the trees all you can do is hope that nothing too bad happens."
Q) What was the best birthday present you have ever received? 
"My first kart when I was eight years old. My dad had to close the road in our small village so I could get my first experience of driving on gravel!" 
Q) What would you do if you weren’t a World Rally Championship driver?
"Definitely something to do with sport. I love any kind of sport. Maybe professional skiing, this is one of my favourite sports and before my rally career I was not too bad."