WRC Canary Islands: Ogier hails ‘intense’ Solberg fight in rare WRC battle

Toyota duo separated by 3.8s after flat-out Saturday duel

Nine-time WRC champion Sébastien Ogier is relishing the “intense” fight for Rally Islas Canarias victory with Oliver Solberg that “doesn’t happen every day” in the World Rally Championship.

The Toyota team-mates were split by 3.8s heading into Sunday’s final four stages after the pair were separated by tenths of seconds during Saturday afternoon’s stages.

Solberg managed to whittle Ogier’s 8.9s lead down across Saturday, but it was in the afternoon where the pair raised the bar.

Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Ogier (above) and Solberg (below) traded fastest stage times throughout Saturday, with the gap shrinking, eventually, in Solberg's favour.

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Facing a 5.3s deficit, Monte Carlo winner Solberg took a tenth out of Ogier in stage 12 before the pair set identical times after the 13.74km stage 13. Solberg then triumphed over Ogier in the final test by 1.4s in what proved to be one of the most intense duels in recent WRC history.

Ogier likened the battle to the 2013 Rally de France that he ultimately ended up winning.

“It cannot be more intense than that,” said Ogier when describing the fight.

“With times being so close like this all the time, it doesn’t happen so often. I think Alsace 2013 we had the top four within five seconds before the last day and that was an intense rally, but before there were some gaps that were moving all weekend.

“But this weekend, the biggest gap has been 8.9s and now it is down to 3.8s, it is pretty intense.

"He [Oliver] is doing very well so I think tomorrow is set for an entertaining Super Sunday with an easy strategy now.

“We have to push but I'm looking forward to it. We have new stages and that is the way rallying is for me and not learning stage videos by heart. The pace notes will be very important.

“An intense fight like this doesn’t happen every day and the fans still enjoy this even if it is between team-mates.”

Can Solberg beat Ogier?

Oliver Solberg, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Solberg, who managed to beat Ogier to win in Monte Carlo in January, says that the presence of the nine-time world champion at WRC events always provides extra motivation to perform.

“Every time Seb is there I get more motivation because he is such a fighter, and he is my hero,” said Solberg. “Every time he is here I need to step up my level. It is very good learning for me.

“It is annoying as you drive as fast as you can and I’m one tenth off or equal [to Ogier] or whatever. When we spoke at the refuel Seb said he was flat out and we were dead equal. It is crazy.

“For sure when you drive against him you have to drive the best.”

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

While Ogier’s strategy for Sunday’s final four stages is clear, Solberg declared that the victory is not his main focus after missing out on significant points hauls in the last two rounds in Safari Rally Kenya and Croatia.

However, the 24-year-old says if there is an opportunity to claim victory he will not turn it down.

“It is maybe not my main focus [to beat Ogier] but I will keep going like it did today and if I can get close to doing it I will try. If he is very strong tomorrow then I’m happy with that,” he added when asked if he felt he could beat Ogier.