Sébastien Ogier is taking his first steps on circuits. After marking an era in the WRC, the driver from Gap faces the enormous challenge of changing rallies for resistance. It is not an easy transition, as the driving of a World Rally Car or a hybrid ‘Rally1’ is subject to intuition in sections that are barely known, while being fast with an LMP2 prototype demands precision and consistency. A scenario to which Ogier is adapting, even if in his first WEC race things did not go as he expected.
The eight-time WRC champion had a rather complex 1,000 Miles of Sebring, not to say difficult. The #1 Oreca of the Richard Mille Racing team in which Ogier competes had problems of all kinds that led him to occupy twelfth position in the silver category of the World Championship, far from the top positions. In fact, Ogier’s prototype had a puncture in the Frenchman’s first stint in the hairpin of turn 7, in addition to experience a brief fire in the brake system.
sebastien ogier he knows that he is in a full learning phase, so he takes these things with a certain philosophy: «To be honest, Sebring has been quite a challenge. I struggled a bit during my first stint against the circumstances. I was not very comfortable in the car and the truth is that I did not have a clean race. In the second stint things were a bit better, I had an easier time riding with space. Everything was cleaner, but it was already a little late. I still have a lot to learn».
Analyzing his performance, Ogier admits: «Turn 7 is bumpy and I had a tendency to hit the brakes too hard. I was too aggressive and that caused some problems with the car. It was kind of an apprenticeship for me. At least I already have that experience and I think I have learned from my mistakes. We were a bit off the pace that we would like to have. Even Milesi, a reference in the category as current champion, could not show what we are capable of this weekend. We need to work and analyze where we can be faster».
Despite his vast racing experience, Ogier has no problem confessing that he still needs more time in the car. A circumstance that he explains Philippe Sinault as head of Signatech, a structure that provides technical support to the project: “It was not easy for us to start the season with a totally new driver line-up at Sebring.. Starting on such a circuit was a negative for them. I am sure that all our riders will arrive in better conditions for the second round of the year in Spa.”
Source: autosport
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Photos: Richard Mille Racing