Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) breaks record with 8th time Monte Carlo Rally win

Seven time world champion Sébastien Ogier has made history by winning the Monte Carlo Rally for the eighth time. He beat many famous riders including Elfyn Evans (Toyota) and Thierry Neuville (Hyundai). After an incredible start to the 2021 WRC season, the french driver was unable to hide his emotion. Extracts.

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Record number of wins at Monte Carlo Rally

“I’m nearing the end of my career now, but I knew it would be worth carrying on a little longer. I thought I would end up back here! Besides being a championship race, this rally means so much to me… if I could only win one rally a year, it would be this one. The same goes for records. There are so many reasons why this rally is my favourite. Monte Carlo was where I really got into rallying and made me realise I’d love to pursue it as a career one day.”

An eventful 2021 edition

“Getting a puncture (on the SS6) was a big set back, but it wasn’t time to give up yet. I made quite a daring comeback. I knew I had to be careful though, you can’t take risks like that all the time on the track. The racing conditions were challenging across the whole course. Along the SS10 there was no grip at all. You really have to stay calm at times like that. It’s not fun, but you’ve got to learn how to drive down there safely.”

Next race in Finland

“The weather is likely to be quite cool and if it doesn’t snow, then it might not be such a bad idea to open up the road. Kalle (Rovanperä) is definitely one to watch in this Arctic Rally. He raced well this weekend, only making a few mistakes. In terms of speed, he really got ahead. He’s the only one that’s familiar with the course and these conditions. Despite only being half my age, he’s got a lot more experience than me. It’s quite possible he’ll take the lead in this race.”