Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia
Breaking news

Ogier wants tech issues sorted after "stressful" Rally France

M-Sport will attempt to cure the problems that marred its Tour de Corse weekend after Sebastien Ogier endured a "stressful" final day protecting his WRC points lead.

Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport

Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport

Red Bull Content Pool

Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Podium: Winners Thierry Neuville, Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, Hyundai Motorsport, second place Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, M-Sport, Ford Fiesta WRC, third place Dani Sordo, Marc Marti, Hyundai Motorsport, Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport

Ogier was a close second behind Thierry Neuville's Hyundai with three stages to go, before a hydraulic problem slowed his Ford Fiesta.

Intermittent electrical glitches then struck on Sunday morning, and Ogier fell away to finish nearly a minute off Neuville and hang on to second by just 1.3 seconds over the second Hyundai of Dani Sordo.

The second M-Sport car of Ott Tanak had engine troubles during Saturday after a Friday crash, while hydraulic issues slowed Elfyn Evans's DMACK Fiesta on the opening leg.

"A bit too many technical problems for us this weekend, not only on our car but also on both our teammates' cars so that's definitely something the team has to work very hard on," said Ogier.

"We don't want to feel this situation again and be in this stressful situation again."

Team principal Malcolm Wilson paid tribute to Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia's tenacity in hanging on to second and a 13-point WRC lead over Jari-Matti Latvala.

"It's been a very demanding weekend for the team," Wilson admitted. "We've experienced issues that we've not seen before and I can tell you that the team will be working extremely hard in the lead-up to the next event.

"We have to praise Sebastien and Julien for the job they have done in what were some very difficult circumstances. They stuck with it, and second place shows how committed and determined they both are.

"In view of what we've experienced here in Corsica, it's great to see Sebastien extend his lead in the drivers' championship and for the team to maintain the lead of the manufacturers.

"We have a five-day test coming up next week where we'll focus on improving the performance of the car as well as addressing the issues we've faced this weekend."

Technical scares aside, Ogier was pleased with the car's pace on asphalt, having battled with Kris Meeke's Citroen early on before the Northern Irishman's engine failure made it a Hyundai versus M-Sport contest.

"I think that things are moving in the right direction for us," said Ogier. "I said arriving here that I have a good feeling on Tarmac.

"I thought we have some performance in the tank and that was correct.

"We had the speed to fight with Thierry this weekend. We were more or less together, a few seconds behind him when we had the problem so we were in the fight for the victory."

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Corsica WRC: Neuville and Hyundai become fourth different winners
Next article Neuville on Corsica win: "I had tears in my eyes"

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

Australia