He might have only needed one point, but Volkswagen Motorsport’s Sebastien Ogier wasted no time in wrapping up the WRC Driver’s title on his home turf.
With a third place on Rally France’s ‘Power Stage’ on the opening night of the event, Ogier cemented his grasp on his first World Rally Championship by making impossible for his nearest rival to mathematically beat him. With co-driver Julien Ingrassia alongside him, Ogier did just enough to end Sebastien Loeb’s grip on the trophy which has lasted for the past nine seasons.
Some may argue that, with only one major manufacturer to compete against the sheer might of Volkswagen Motorsport, a title in 2013 was no less than should have been expected. But rallying is often a cruel and unforgiving realm in which to race; to wrap up the Driver’s title with three rounds to go is an impressive achievement regardless of the competition. To win six of the ten rallies so far this year in the Polo R WRC’s first full season is to be admired and celebrated – for a new car to be so quick fresh out of the box is testament to the engineering excellence found beneath its skin.
Ogier is undoubtedly a class act, with the talent and the ability to win at the highest level. But this should take nothing away from the Polo R WRC, nor a team that has had no real involvement in top-level rallying for decades.
EngageSportMode salutes Volkswagen Motorsport, Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia for their stunning effort in this year’s World Rally Championship. Perhaps, most importantly of all, the Volkswagen Polo 6R can now claim true motorsport pedigree – put that in your pipe and smoke it Audi A1!
