Ogier = the new Loeb ?

[pino]

He impressed me a lot on snow (Sweden), even more on gravel (Mexico) and he's almost as fast as Loeb on tarmac. Can he be as good as Loeb ? Also I think Sordo should start to worry about is seat as 2nd driver, unless Sebastien will retire after this season. You guys agree ?

[Langdale Forest]

If Ogier keeps beating Dani Sordo, he might be team mate to Loeb in 2011, or will that be to early, like JML in Ford?

[amilk]

Sure Ogier has the potential to follow Loeb.
From marketing point of view two french in the team maybe not the best (Sordo important due to PSA Spain market but maybe this is not the deciding factor for Quesnel)
(It's also not clear for me Wilson's tactics at Ford. Two finn in the team marketing wise not the best and both with weak tarmac experience. I would be suprise if they can win manufacturer champs or the driver champs this year. On the other side respect for Wilson due to loyality to his drivers especially to Latvala)

[ridder]

He impressed me so far this year as well but:


he's almost as fast as Loeb on tarmac.

In spain he didn't really impress on tarmac even loosing to Petter in his first C4 start, neither did he impress in Ireland. That's his only 2 WRC starts on Tarmac.
Before that in JWRC he had very similar speed as Prokop on tarmac.

So I don't get where you get this assumption from, the one off tire lottery of Monte Carlo against different drivers?

[MJW]

If Ogier keeps beating Dani Sordo, he might be team mate to Loeb in 2011, or will that be to early, like JML in Ford?
I am fairly confident Sordo doesnt fit into Citroen Racing's 2011 plans, UNLESS Loeb leaves for LMS and Kimi back to F1. Then Sordo could be #2 driver to Ogier. No doubt Citroen Racing and Olivier Quensel see Ogier very much as the future of Citroen Racing

[bluuford]

Ogier is not typical French driver. He is much faster on Gravel and snow than he is on tarmac.

[I am evil Homer]

Indeed tarmac is a weakness of Ogier, he is more natural on the loose stuff. That said he has had an impressive start to this year and with a little more maturity and less silly mistakes than last year he could impress and take vital points off Ford.

[Barreis]

Don't think he will have 55 wins.. :)
But maybe some crown..

[AndyRAC]

He's not the new Loeb - but he's a future World Champion, of that there is no doubt.
He's been mightily impressive in all 3 starts this year - can he keep it up?There's no doubt he has gone up a level this year - and with the right circumstances, a win is not an impossibility.

[Barreis]

C4 - GB rally - few years ago when he led on the start means that he has potential to be future champ..

[Tomi]

He is a top driver for sure, it was quite a surprise he was so high up in Mexico, even it was a new rally for him, I think he will be right behind the works guys in rallies more familiar to him.

[I am evil Homer]

So long as he cuts the silly mistakes he had last year...but so far the signs are positive.

[DonJippo]

He is a top driver for sure, it was quite a surprise he was so high up in Mexico, even it was a new rally for him, I think he will be right behind the works guys in rallies more familiar to him.

Ogier was in Mexico 2008 with Citroen C2 S1600 when he was doing JWRC.

[Viking]

Ogier was in Mexico 2008 with Citroen C2 S1600 when he was doing JWRC.

And with a exceptionally good performance if I don’t remember it wrong, it really shoved his potential.

[Tomi]

Ogier was in Mexico 2008 with Citroen C2 S1600 when he was doing JWRC.

Yes, but I mean with a rally car, to have usable notes from previous rally.

[Daniel]

I'm not so sure he's quite up at Loeb's level at least for a few years yet. he's got potential though :)

[JFL]

Quesnel was surely impressed with him after the rally! :)
Quote:" Loeb was the best, Petter was pretty good, and Ogier was awsome!"

[DonJippo]

Yes, but I mean with a rally car, to have usable notes from previous rally.

Well Citroen C2 S1600 is a rally car ... and even he was not with WRC in 2008 he still had done this event in competition speed so he had an idea of the stages.

Never the less it was a impressive performance from him :up:

[Brother John]

He impressed me a lot on snow (Sweden), even more on gravel (Mexico) and he's almost as fast as Loeb on tarmac. Can he be as good as Loeb ? Also I think Sordo should start to worry about is seat as 2nd driver, unless Sebastien will retire after this season. You guys agree ?

Yes you are right Pino, Ogier he´s fast. But let we hope that there more younger drivers get the same chances in factory teams such as Ogier has with Citroën!
For example,
J. TUOHINO
P. ANDERSSON
A. MIKKELSEN
B. SOUSA
J. HANNINEN
K. MEEKE
G. WILKS
and, and, and much more!!!!!! ;)

[Daniel]

Yes you are right Pino, Ogier he´s fast. But let we hope that there more younger drivers get the same chances in factory teams such as Ogier has with Citroën!
For example,
J. TUOHINO
P. ANDERSSON
A. MIKKELSEN
B. SOUSA
J. HANNINEN
K. MEEKE
G. WILKS
and, and, and much more!!!!!! ;)
I notice no French drivers? :rotflmao:

[Finni2]

His developement rate is much faster than what we have seen in the case of Hirvonen or Sordo. Ogier is the most probable driver to end championship streak from Loeb.

[Mintexmemory]

His developement rate is much faster than what we have seen in the case of Hirvonen or Sordo. Ogier is the most probable driver to end championship streak from Loeb.

Only when Seb L has had enough, until then 'Little Seb' must keep in his place ;)

PS He's not the Messiah.......That's Kris M!!

[Buzz Lightyear]

Ogier just highlights the lack of depth of driver talent, and on gravel he is for sure getting top whack machinary now from Citroen.

Infact, Citroen and Oliver seem to be pushing him that hard now, that he could even be getting development bits that Sordo is not getting...

If Ogier stays on the road, Sordo will be out next year.

[Mirek]

Heard some rumour about Sordo's possible change for VW in the future. Only rumour though...

[jonkka]

I wouldn't be at all surprised of that given Sainz's involvement with VW and Sordo's phase of development.

[Tomi]

I wouldn't be at all surprised of that given Sainz's involvement with VW and Sordo's phase of development.

Is the sainz involvement a fact, or only rumours too?

[AndyRAC]

Ogier just highlights the lack of depth of driver talent, and on gravel he is for sure getting top whack machinary now from Citroen.

Infact, Citroen and Oliver seem to be pushing him that hard now, that he could even be getting development bits that Sordo is not getting...

If Ogier stays on the road, Sordo will be out next year.

I think there are talented drivers out there (PG Andersson), unfortunately they have no money, and there aren't enough factory seats. Just another reflection on the strength (or not) of the sport.

[koko0703]

I agree Ogier has talent, and I can see Citroen puts him right next Loeb in very near future. On the other hand, Sordo needs the result right now or he's out of Citroen's plan. I think there is no excuse for Sordo not to win a rally after three seasons in top team.

[Langdale Forest]

I think there is no excuse for Sordo not to win a rally after three seasons in top team.

There is a reason, and the reason is that team orders mean that Loeb must win. ;)


Anyway I think that Ogier is a better driver than Sordo.

[alexw]

When I was watching the last day of Mexico footage, it seemed like Ogier slowed down significantly at the end of the last long gravel stage (SS21).

His codriver seemed to be counting? It was almost as if he wanted to allow Petter to finish very close.

Am I seeing things?

[serial jeff]

When I was watching the last day of Mexico footage, it seemed like Ogier slowed down significantly at the end of the last long gravel stage (SS21).

His codriver seemed to be counting? It was almost as if he wanted to allow Petter to finish very close.

Am I seeing things?

He definitely didn't slow down, but you weren't seeing things either. MotorsTV was just incompetent and showed some of Saturday's footage as SS21 :rolleyes: . I was also very confused when I saw that.

[alexw]

That explains it, thanks.

[Anderton]

I heard somewhere that Sordo's seat will be safe, even if he is outdone by Ogier on a couple of occassions.
For me, Ogier is the next Loeb. Great drive in Sweden and an even better drive to finish 3rd in Mexico. He also did great on the Monte this year, even though he spun on the first day, losing a lot of time, he fought back like a madman enough to actually make Hirvonen a tad nervous.
I'm sure that he will be the next best thing in rallying, definiteley one day emulating Loeb's success.

[cali]

This is a bit OT, but why everybody assumes after some couple of really good performances by Ogier that Sordo will be replaced? After Sweden everybody was talking about how good progress Sordo has gone through and now this... I'm confused ... do you guys have too short memory or what?

I like Ogier a lot, as well as Sordo actually, but using common sense me thinks Sordo is waaaaaay lot better on tarmac, equal on gravel and faster on snowy/icy conditions. Ogier may become better than him, but as it is right now and in the past, Sordo has been very very efficient number 2 for Citroen.

[Leon]

This is a bit OT, but why everybody assumes after some couple of really good performances by Ogier that Sordo will be replaced? After Sweden everybody was talking about how good progress Sordo has gone through and now this... I'm confused ... do you guys have too short memory or what?

I like Ogier a lot, as well as Sordo actually, but using common sense me thinks Sordo is waaaaaay lot better on tarmac, equal on gravel and faster on snowy/icy conditions. Ogier may become better than him, but as it is right now and in the past, Sordo has been very very efficient number 2 for Citroen.

As in F1, that WRC tries to emulate, you are as good as your last result

[Langdale Forest]

It will be interesting to see if Ogier can beat Sordo on pace alone in Jordan, which I think he is capable of.

[Red bull]

for sure at the moment ogier is sordos nemesis and it wont be long sordo will leave citroen for any team available even if means less pay.

[Langdale Forest]

If Sordo gets some more 'pathetic' team orders thrown at him, he might walk out of the team and let Ogier in.