Peugeot Sport director Olivier Quesnel hopes the addition of Sebastien Ogier to its ranks on Rally d’Italia-Sardegna this week will help to revitalise the French make’s bid for a fourth Intercontinental Rally Challenge manufacturers’ title.
After the opening four rounds of this year’s IRC, Peugeot trails Skoda by 31 points having taken one victory to the two scored by its rival. However, in terms of stages won, Skoda drivers have been fastest through 28 stages this season while Peugeot’s representatives have triumphed on 25 occasions, proving Peugeot’s 207 and Skoda’s Fabia are evenly matched.
"For the drivers’ title I am not anxious because I am sure Kris Meeke can do it again because the Peugeot is still a good car with a good performance," said Quesnel. "For the manufacturers’ title Kris is a little bit alone because [the other Peugeot drivers] Bruno Magalhaes and Thierry Neuville are inexperienced in the IRC, so I don’t have any problem to ask Ogier to come help Peugeot get the title again."
Ogier won Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo in 2009 at the wheel of a 207 S2000, his first appearance in the IRC. Since then he has become established in the World Rally Championship and competes in Sardinia on the back of winning the WRC-counting Rally de Portugal recently.