Ogier contract: ‘A simple decision’
World champion Sébastien Ogier has said he never had any intentions of leaving the Volkswagen team with which he will bid for a second consecutive title in Spain this weekend.
As shakedown began for RallyRACC Rally de España this morning, the German manufacturer announced new contracts for Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen.
It ended speculation that Ogier might leave at the end of this season and the Frenchman confirmed he had not spoken to other teams before signing the deal.
“Why should I do that? No, no, no. It was a really simple decision. There was never another option in my mind. Every rumour you could have seen were just rumours,” he told wrc.com.
“I knew I would sign a long time ago, It’s great to have stability and I feel at home in this team. We started together three years ago and there was no reason at all to change. It’s normal to continue,” he added.
Volkswagen Motorsport director Jost Capito would not confirm the duration of his drivers’ new contracts but Ogier admitted: “It’s more than one year.”
A two-year deal covering 2015 and 2016 would take the three pilots to the end of the current technical regulations. New regulations for 2017 are currently being discussed by championship bosses and manufacturers.
Sébastien Ogier gallery special
