Citroen Total World Rally Team principal Olivier Quesnel has described his two-Sebastien driver liver line up as like winning the lottery twice.
The Frenchman is delighted with the way Sebastien Ogier has slotted in to the factory team alongside legend Sebastien Loeb and Quesnel is confident there will be more pace on the two remaining gravel rallies of the season where the two Sebs will drive alongside each other again. Next season they will be Citroen stable-mates for the entire year.
Quesnel said: “I was honestly not anxious to have Sebastien Ogier still with Citroen. It was the job of Ford to do that [and make him the offer]. I was not surprised and not anxious. Now he is here for the next three years and it’s the beginning of a long story. It feels [like] I have won the Euromillions twice. The first time with Loeb the second time with Ogier and I don’t think that happened to anyone in the world. It’s completely crazy.”
Ogier contested his first event in Citroen’s main team - rather than the Junior Team, where he has driven for the past 18 months - on Rally Finland last month. He showed tremendous pace on only his third visit to Jyvaskyla, and only missed out on winning by 10 seconds. Ogier eventually finished second, ahead of his new team-mate Loeb.
“Things are happening very fast for me and I know it’s easy to go back in the other way so I really try to stay calm,” said Ogier. “I’m very happy with each step I can pass. I know it is not going to be easy to continue in this direction, even though my start has been very, very well. For the moment, I know I have to be consistent and win everywhere and there is a lot of work to do for that.”
“For sure, I’m more relaxed now that I know what my future is. It was also very motivating in Finland, because it was my first time in the big team and it was important to be there at the end of the rally. Besides the team ask me that. They said not drive as fast as you can but be sure to finish the rally. I am very happy to be with Citroen.”
Ogier will return to the Citroen Junior Team for Rallye Deutschland next week, with Dani Sordo returning to his usual berth alongside Loeb.