“I don't know if this will be my last. It would be a good place to stop.” Barely out of his Toyota on Sunday afternoon, when he had just pocketed a historic tenth victory on the Monte-Carlo Rally, Sébastien Ogier, in a few words, cast doubt on his future.
In reality, beyond these hotly thrown words, the eight-time world champion simply does not have the slightest idea. Enjoying the present moment, this victory acquired with as much mastery as resistance in the face of competition, is the priority of someone who is successfully starting a new partial campaign in the WRC with Toyota.
A few hours later, with a little more perspective and a rally officially completed in Monaco, the Frenchman clarified his comments… and above all the doubt. Asked about the possibility of having run his last Monte-Carlo, he himself clarified: “I don’t hope, but I don’t know.”
“I just want to enjoy this moment in this incredible championship”he continued. “I will obviously do other rallies this season in the WRC, but I don't know about next year. I don't want to make any plans and, obviously, if I am able to stay at this level, that would be a shame to stop on the other hand, I'm closer to the end. [de ma carrière] only from the beginning.”
“It's difficult to find the words at the moment, but I couldn't be happier than today. I often repeat this story, but the Monte-Carlo has always been an event that has made me dream and made me want to become a rally driver one day when I was little I followed him, and in 2009 I started here and I won on my first attempt, it was like a dream come true. now ten times that I come here to get the trophy back, and I'm as happy as I was in 2009.”
For Jari-Matti Latvala, director of the Toyota WRC team, the new record established by Sébastien Ogier is in any case an achievement “unique” which testifies to both its longevity and its level.
“It requires you to be at your best at 20, 30 and 40, and it’s a unique accomplishment for an athlete to be at the top level for that long.”insists the Finn. “That’s also why he is world champion, he has a special talent that others don’t have.”
Comments collected by Tom Howard
In pictures: Sébastien Ogier wins his 10th Monte-Carlo Rally
In this article
-Basile Davoine
WRC
Sébastien Ogier
Vincent Landais
Toyota Racing
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