Sébastien Ogier: 'The Volkswagen Constructors' title feels better with this one-two'
(28/10/2013) |
| Podium 49 RallyRACC Catalunya-COSTA DAURADA |
With nine victories (eight by Ogier and one by Latvala) out of 12 races this season, the Volkswagen Motorsport team and the Polo R which landed in the competition this year have proven to come with their homework done. Hardly any mechanical incidents have plagued them, and they clinched the manufacturers’ championship at the RallyRACC with yet another win by Sébastien Ogier and a second place for Jari-Matti Latvala. They collected their first Manufacturers title for the German make, a fantastic and well-deserved success.
Volkswagen kept the rally under an iron grip, with one of their two drivers leading the timesheets at all times except for stage 6, which finished with Latvala even with Sordo. They also clinched the fastest times at all the special stages (8 claimed by Sébastien Ogier, 3 by Jari-Matti Latvala and 2 by Andreas Mikkelsen, all drivers in Volkswagen livery).
Mikko Hirvonen slotted the first Citroën in third position, demoting local driver Dani Sordo, whose performance almost earned him the third echelon of the podium but was forced to withdraw after breaking a part in the last but one stage.
Sébastien Ogier (Volkswagen): “I’m really happy to celebrate the Constructors’ title with a 1-2. The last loop of today was easier because there was no dust any more and the line was clear. I had to push until the end, although I fought to preserve the tyres during the second half of the long last stage”.
Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen): “I finished the rally with a mild feeling of frustration. I ended up second due to technical problems, which kept me from fighting for victory. However, the positive side of this rally is the Constructors’ championship we’ve secured for Volkswagen”.
Mikko Hirvonen (Citroën): “First of all, I must say I feel really sorry for Dani Sordo and Carlos del Barrio, who made a great race both on tarmac and gravel. I’m quite happy about the result, as we did what we could to stay ahead in the tarmac stages. It’s good to be back on the podium. I’ll now try to finish the season nicely with another good result in Wales”.
Robert Kubica (Citroën): “This is my fifth win this season in the WRC2 series, so I couldn’t be more satisfied than this. This title is result of the team’s work over the whole year, it’s not about the three days of race only. I think I’ve improved a lot since my first gravel rally in Portugal, last spring. Spain was something new for me, because I had never raced a mixed-surface event before”.
Jost Capito (Volkswagen Motorsport Team Manager): “Winning the three World Championship titles on the first year we race is simply amazing. Bearing in mind this is the first year we race officially at the WRC on the Polo R, the success is even greater. Winning the drivers’ and co-drivers’ championships with Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia was outstanding for the whole team. A dream come true, for them, because they clinched the title in their own country. However, the Constructors’ title is even more important for a car manufacturer, because it proves not only that the driver is exceptional, but also that the product they make is exceptional too”.