World Rally Championship star Sebastien Ogier has dominated out participating within the Dakar Rally sooner or later, saying he has “by no means been actually attracted” by the prospect of competing within the cross-country occasion.
Ogier stepped down from WRC as a full-timer on the finish of the 2021 season however continues to compete in a variety of rallies yearly, driving the extra fourth automotive entered by Toyota.
The Frenchman has been in a position to present spectacular velocity even on the age of 40, and has completed both first or second within the 4 rallies he has competed up to now in 2024.
Ogier’s future is a topic that has cropped up a variety of occasions up to now, however he has all the time maintained that he’s not curious about returning for a full season.
One chance that has been instructed is an entry into Dakar, which has change into a standard vacation spot for former WRC drivers after they retire from the sequence. Toyota additionally has a manufacturing unit presence within the Saudi Arabia-based rally raid, making it a logical selection for Ogier.
Nevertheless, the eight-time WRC champion has made it clear that he has no plans to enter Dakar within the coming years, saying he would favor to modify to circuit racing as a substitute.
“It hasn’t been on my checklist but,” he stated. “I believe testing the automotive, I’ll all the time be for it. It is all the time a enjoyable expertise.
Sébastien Ogier, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Picture by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
“However in the intervening time, I do not know, I’ve by no means been actually attracted that a lot by this race.
“It ought to have been truly the conventional transition for rally drivers. Fairly often up to now, they went to cross nation rally as a result of it was simpler to adapt and I’d have extra probability to carry out there than I’d be right here in Le Mans.
“However I preferred extra the problem of happening observe and pushing myself, studying one thing new. So I believe sooner or later if it isn’t rallying, I’ll focus once more extra on observe racing and endurance than Dakar.”
Since lowering his commitments within the WRC greater than three years in the past, Ogier has dabbled in sportscar racing, participating in three rounds of the World Endurance Championship – together with the Le Mans 24 Hours – in 2022 on the wheel of a Richard Mille-run ORECA 07 LMP2 automotive.
Ogier even examined the Toyota GR010 HYBRID on two events and was being thought of for a possible Hypercar debut at Le Mans in a 3rd automotive, however a further entry from the Japanese producer by no means materialised.
Ogier made it clear {that a} return to sportscar racing isn’t on the playing cards in the intervening time as he continues to concentrate on a part-time rally programme but additionally admitted {that a} journey to Le Mans final weekend for the 24-hour enduro “gave me the want to come again” sooner or later.
“I imply, by no means say by no means. There may be not such a plan which is mentioned in the intervening time,” he stated.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Picture by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
“However yeah, it is true that I believe rally drivers additionally like observe racing and I believe it is all the time attention-grabbing to study one thing new and to have some expertise on observe.
“Even when it is like actually, you may discuss totally different disciplines. There may be all the time some little factor you may study on observe that may enable you to to be a fair higher rally driver.
“Kalle [Rovanpera] has additionally proved that he’s an especially quick rally driver. Will probably be attention-grabbing to comply with now what he realized on observe.
“On the identical time, I believe it is going to be a bit tough and difficult to place rally drivers collectively in a automotive throughout 24h of Le Mans. Possibly it is going to be higher to combine us with some skilled observe drivers personally the expertise of three years in the past.
Two-time and defending WRC champion Rovanpera, who has successfully succeeded Ogier in Toyota’s line-up, has additionally proven an inclination in direction of circuit racing after scaling again from his rallying commitments this 12 months forward of a full comeback in 2025.
The Finnish driver said a want to race at Le Mans 24 Hours after a powerful run in a pair of Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux races at Zandvoort earlier this month.