Gearbox change ensures Ogier has "perfect weekend"

Ogier was head and shoulders above the Rally1 field on home soil, recording scratch times on half of the 18 stages to finish 18.8 seconds clear of Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate, Kalle Rovanpera.

The eight-time World champion built up a 36 second lead following the Friday leg before opting to adopt a risk-free approach through the Alps during the course of Saturday and Sunday.

It was the Frenchman’s 56th career victory and his first in the World Rally Championship following its adoption of hybrid power at the beginning of the 2022 season. The feat had added significance as the result was co-driver Landais’ first visit to the top step of the podium on his 56th career start.

“It has been a perfect weekend. This rally means a lot to me and to win it is always something very special, so I am going to really enjoy it. I can be proud of myself and of my team,” said Ogier.

“It has been quite a dominant weekend for the team. Toyota once again provided us with fantastic tools, so thanks to them.

“It is an amazing way to launch the season with a one-two finish and it was a strong performance from Kalle as well,” added Ogier who extended his win count on the glitzy Monaco-based meeting to nine – one more than his long-standing nemesis, Sebastien Loeb.

“Saturday was hard for my nerves; I knew that I could go faster but I did not want to take risks at all. On Sunday, I knew it was more about pure driving and so I could enjoy the end of the rally.

“I am so happy for Vincent as well. It is his first World Rally Championship win and he deserves it so much. He has done a perfect job to my right-hand side in only our second rally together.”

The result could potentially have been very different but for some quick-thinking by Ogier’s team of mechanics following Thursday evening’s two night stages – the same people who succeeded in finding a cure for the troublesome hybrid unit on his GR Yaris at Friday’s remote tyre fitting zone.

“I never saw anything like that before – it was so impressive to watch them work,” admitted Ogier. “It was something linked to the clutch, probably going into Parc Fermé on the Thursday night.

“The team saw something wrong on Friday morning but they weren’t sure what. 13 minutes before going somebody say: “We change the gearbox”. I thought: “Oh, no way they’re going to do it in 13 minutes”, We were waiting two minutes before checking [out] of service.

“I need to say a big thank you to the team and my guys. I promised them some champagne is going to be delivered to them soon at home – it’s just incredible what they did.”