Sébastien Ogier has enjoyed a positive first day in a Toyota Yaris Rally1 car and is looking forward to the challenge of driving it at next month’s Monte Carlo Rally opener.
Ogier completed the first half of a two-day test in the French Alps on Saturday evening.
With Ogier the last of the factory drivers to get his hands on a next generation hybrid car, his Toyota team, DirtFish and the watching world were all eager to hear his verdict.
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After driving the Yaris in dry conditions throughout the day, Ogier said: “The feeling is, I would say, generally good.
“Of course it’s my first time in the new car and there’s a lot of things to adapt to.
“I can, of course, feel the change of regulation is still quite big.
“The car is reacting differently in quite many ways from the one we used for the last five years.
“I was still positively, how would I say? Surprised? Maybe surprised is not the right word.
“I was positive about the day and my first impression with the car is of course you say straightaway that it’s new technology and this is a big challenge for the teams.”
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Ogier said he enjoyed the challenge of deploying and regenerating the electric boost – in the shape of an additional 120bhp – from the Yaris.
The eight-time world champion added: “On the driving style you have some things to adapt to with the regeneration, which is important to be able to use the boost.
“And some new parameters for us drivers and I think that somehow makes it exciting.
“It’s something new to try to adapt to. When it’s new, in general there’s always more expectation around it.”
Ogier will complete his test on a new road in France on Sunday.
