Sebastien Ogier has some concerns ahead of Rally Japan, the final round of the World Rally Championship.
The Frenchman has endured a rollercoaster of a season so far, with multiple wins balanced by some point-less events and non-finishes in WRC.
Ogier was blisteringly fast in the middle of the year, winning on the tarmac in Croatia and impressively winning on the gravel the next time out in Portugal.
He isn’t in contention for the driver’s title after missing some events and withdrawing from Rally Poland earlier in the year.
Toyota are pushing for the Manufacturers’ Championship, and the Japanese brand are 15 points behind their title rival, Hyundai.
Ogier is eagerly anticipating the title battle but told the official WRC website he has some concerns about the final round of the season.
Sebastien Ogier is wary of the conditions at Rally Japan
Rally Japan is made up of 21 stages of tarmac to end the season and is very difficult with the close proximity of the forests.
Toyota will have very little margin for error over the weekend as they have a 15-point deficit to overturn in Japan.
They have performed well at the event previously, as Elfyn Evans won last year for Toyota, a significant win at their home rally.
Hyundai are also competing for the driver’s title as their drivers, Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak, have the opportunity to clinch the championship.
This may give Toyota an advantage as they fully focus on the team’s championship rather than having two priorities.
Ogier still has concerns about Rally Japan as it is taking place later in the year than in 2023, which may cause unpredictable weather.
He said: “We know that we are not in the ideal position and we need a close-to-perfect weekend for the team, but it’s definitely not out of reach. Our performance recently has been good and, on my side, we want to turn around our fortunes and transform that speed into a good result.
“The stages in the forests in Japan can be very difficult and conditions are always a big question mark, especially as the event takes place one week later this year. Of course, as Toyota drivers, we always feel such strong support which is very nice and we will try to bring home the result that all the fans are hoping for.”
Sebastien Ogier’s lacklustre form has cost him a ninth WRC title
Ogier has been very successful in his career, winning eight championships in WRC, including six consecutive titles from 2013-2018.
He returned midway through the season to compete for another championship and his first since 2021, but he has lacked consistency.
The Frenchman hasn’t scored a top-10 finish in the last three rounds which has cost him valuable points in the title battle.
Ogier may not be joined by Adrien Fourmaux at Toyota in 2025, who has other options aside from staying at M-Sport.