Sebastien Ogier

[MJW]

the following is from wrc.com and reports about Citroen's team orders to maximise damaged limitation for Loeb's championship standings.

To do this Ogier started the second Plum Pudding test five minutes late to incur a 50-second time penalty and fall behind Loeb on the road before parking up nearing the end of the stage for almost 10 minutes.

“On this rally the team made this choice because there is big pressure from Mikko who closed the gap a lot in the championship because of our mistake,” said Loeb.

Ogier said before the start on Thursday evening that he would follow team orders but was downhearted when he was forced to surrender a points’ finish that would have been fitting reward as he fought back from his crash on Friday.

“I received a team order and I respected this,” he said. But when asked if the loss of what would have been two drivers’ championship points would spell the end of his title ambitions, Ogier said: “I have no comment about that. You can draw your own conclusion but no comment for me.”

Ogier’s frustrations intensified when he slowed again before the finish of the Power Stage to ensure he didn’t take any bonus points away from Loeb, who claimed three extra points for topping the times on the rally-closing test. He eventually finished a despondent 11th.

With very senior management (Jean Marc Galles) clearly on Loeb's side I wonder what kind of future Ogier will have at Citroen? It looks like Citroen are missing Sordo...... I just hope they dont ruin Ogier's career. I cant see Ogier going to Ford as I suspect after this last weekend the "love in with the Juohki Finns will continue"
Playing the long game and joining FX Demaison and all the other rumoured big name engineering / sporting director type moves from the service park at VW? Might be his best option.

[bretddog]

Ruin his career is a bit of a stretch.. If running orders change for 2012, then he will not have much disadvantage, if any. For 2013 Ogier can move to VW if he really wants to. I think he has all the options any driver can dream of. Even this season, he was given a huge opportunity, but failed to grab it. Loeb is favored, which is completely justified, given his history and importance for Citroen's marketing image.

[Barreis]

Finally clever brains from leaders in citroen.

[Francis44]

Surely this is what Citroen wants, however from a spectator point of view this is boring and frustrating. If Ogier managed to finish this rally wee would be set for one of the most intense finishes in the championship for a long time. Ogier is clearly not happy about it but he can't do much, better stay at Citroen one more year and leave to VW when the contract expires.

[wildsir]

The silence from Oliver Quesnel is deafening.
Ogier will leave Citroen, I think that decision has already been made.
People say Ford cannot afford him, but maybe they cannot afford not to have him, and exaclt the catalyst they need to stay in WRC

[Nornbugger]

Ogier can have no compliants, the team gave him 100% and he did a great job too but Loeb has done a better one over the season so far. Citroen could have handled a lot of things better this season, and making Ogier hang around for 10 minutes to give Loeb 1 point was a bit OTT and flattering to Mikko too

[Lousada]

If Ogier didn't crash out he would have won the rally, be championship leader and Citroens number one driver. He has only himself to blame. The pressure is taking him.
Compare that to how Loeb behaved in 2003 when the bosses told him to surrender his driver title aspirations for the manufacturers championship. If Loeb had acted like a spoiled cry-baby then, would he have won 7 titles later?? Sometimes you have to have patience because your time will still come. Ogier doesn't seem to understand this completely.

[AndyRAC]

To be fair, Quesnel is at Silverstone - overseeing the Peugeot ILMC effort!!
In all honesty, it seems as if he needs to bind his time at Citroen - until Loeb retires leaves. VW is an option, does he want to wait?? Ford isn't an option, he'd have to be mad to go there!!

[dimviii]

If Ogier didn't crash out he would have won the rally, be championship leader and Citroens number one driver. He has only himself to blame. The pressure is taking him.
Compare that to how Loeb behaved in 2003 when the bosses told him to surrender his driver title aspirations for the manufacturers championship. If Loeb had acted like a spoiled cry-baby then, would he have won 7 titles later?? Sometimes you have to have patience because your time will still come. Ogier doesn't seem to understand this completely.

+100000

[N.O.T]

but i thought that Ogier never follows orders .... LOL