Hyundai boss thinks Ogier is a shark, and when a shark smells blood it attacks
Photography by Hyundai & Toyota
Words by Luke Barry & David Evans
Hyundai Motorsport president and team principal Cyril Abiteboul suspects Sébastien Ogier will challenge for the World Rally Championship title this season – something Ott Tänak can also foresee.
Ogier hasn’t contested a full WRC season since he won his eighth world championship in 2021.
But he sensationally led the standings after Rally México in 2023, despite missing Sweden, and effectively became a drivers’ championship contender last year when he emerged as Toyota’s best hope against Hyundai’s eventual champion Thierry Neuville.
In 2025 Ogier has again been a part-time driver, so far entering four of the six events (and winning three of them) with a trip to Greece for the Acropolis Rally also scheduled in a fortnight.
His latest victory in Sardinia lifted him to second in the championship standings, 19 points behind team-mate Elfyn Evans.
Ogier has won 50% of this season's rallies, and 75% of those he's started
However Ogier insisted to DirtFish prior to Sardinia that the Acropolis was always planned.
“Nothing has evolved regarding results whatsoever,” he said. “It was planned like this.”
Ogier is not understood to be considering switching to a full season, but Hyundai’s boss is curious if that’s genuinely the case.
Asked about Hyundai’s hopes in both championships – with its lead driver (Ott Tänak) 25 points back but its manufacturers’ deficit to Toyota standing at 69 – Abiteboul said the drivers’ is “absolutely accessible”, and made reference to Ogier as a championship player.
“What I expect is that we’ll have, in a couple of rounds from now, not just four cars, but actually five cars, very close to one another. And that’s what I hope we will have,” Abiteboul told DirtFish.
“And then we will have probably a last third of the season where things will happen that will make a difference between those five cars.
“It will be interesting to see exactly what Ogier’s strategy with Toyota will be. I don’t know, I’m not there, but it will be interesting to see how much he really misses out if he sees that the championship is in contention. So, let’s see.
“I think we are up for an extremely exciting championship for the driver side. For the team side, it’s more challenging. I mean, with five cars, five very strong cars, great car, great lineups, Toyota clearly has an edge over us on the team championship.
“But even that one, even though it will be more challenging, I believe clearly we are not letting him go.”
Tänak is treating Ogier as if he is a rival for the championship
Tänak admitted to DirtFish he was treating Ogier as if he were a championship rival in their battle to win Rally Italy Sardinia.
“I wouldn’t say he’s not driving for the championship, for sure he is,” Tänak said. “I mean, at the moment, he’s very much in the fight for driver’s championship.
“And, yeah, you know, he changes his mind after every weekend so I’m sure we need to consider as a title contender as well, and we just need to maximize and do the best we can.”
Pressed if he believed Ogier will complete the full championship, Abiteboul added: “Already last year it’s very clear. I believe it’s clear from what we saw that his strategy, the strategy has changed in the course of the season.
“I think he’s a shark. When a shark smells blood, it goes in this direction. So let’s see.”
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: Cyril Abiteboul, Rally Italy Sardinia, Rally Italy Sardinia 2025, Sébastien Ogier, WRC, WRC 2025
Publish Date June 10, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/06/6rQV0Z8L-2025ITALY_VT_094-780x520.jpg June 10, 2025
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