Sébastien Ogier may be only third in the World Rally Championship standings, 37 points down on leader Elfyn Evans, but could he now be the favorite to win this year’s title?
The nine-time world champion proved last year that he doesn’t need to contest a full season to snare the championship honors. And his imperious performance on last week’s Acropolis Rally Greece proved – as if there was ever any doubt – that 42-year-old remains at the top of his game.
Perhaps even more significantly, the WRC calendar is an asphalt-free zone for the rest of the season. All the while Ogier is the hunter, he’ll have an advantage over the driver or drivers that he’s chasing down on the first day of each event. That is, of course, assuming that wet weather doesn’t come into the equation.
Ogier is likely to contest the bulk of the remaining events and he appears to have all the weapons he needs in his arsenal to secure a record 10th world title.
DirtFish’s Colin Clark is backing Ogier to retain the crown. Talking on the latest episode of SPIN, The Rally Pod, he said: “Ogier is fired up. Ogier is determined. Ogier is going for the big 10. And right now, I’m putting my money on him.”
Do you agree? Listen to the full episode now, where Clark is joined by George Donaldson and Luke Barry to discuss the WRC title chase and everything else that came out of a grueling Acropolis Rally Greece.
The unique approach required to succeed to on the Acropolis, an event that is not just about flat-out speed, is also analyzed, as well as the rally’s altered itinerary for this year.
Further topics include the welcome return to competiveness of Thierry Neuville and Hyundai, plus Oliver Solberg’s challenging learning curve – and the impact that a return to form for the Swede could have on other drivers’ title chances.
