FIA World Rally Championship - Rally Sweden - Stage 7 of Second Round - Torsby, Sweden - February 15, 2020. Sebastien Ogier of France (Toyota Yaris WRC) speaks to the media. TT News Agency/Micke Fransson/via REUTERS
PARIS, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Less than two months after clinching his record-equalling ninth World Rally Championship (WRC) title, Sebastien Ogier is set to embark on another partial campaign, starting with the Monte Carlo Rally on Thursday, and aims to maintain his "exceptional level of performance".
The Frenchman claimed his ninth title in November, despite skipping three of the 14 rounds, tying his compatriot Sebastien Loeb for the most championships in rallying history.
"This ninth title, probably due to the fact that it equalled Loeb's record, attracted more attention than the previous ones," Ogier told Reuters in an interview. "Those were enjoyable moments but when I wake up in the morning, it's not the first thing on my mind and it hasn't changed my life.
"I had a little bit forgotten the idea of winning another championship because when you do partial seasons, theoretically, it's not really feasible. It was clearly not one of my priorities," he said.
Ogier, who has raced part-time since the 2022 season, won six titles consecutively from 2013-18 and added two more in 2020 and 2021. He has found success with three different manufacturers -- Volkswagen, Ford and Toyota.
Equalling the record has rekindled comparisons with Loeb, who won nine titles successively between 2004 and 2012 with Citroen.
"At first, it was flattering to be compared to him. Then, there was definitely a point in my career when it became a bit tiresome. And after that, there came a point when I didn't pay too much attention to it anymore," Ogier said when asked about the comparisons.
"Now we're both at the top. It's something France can be proud of, having two champions who have dominated a sport for so long.
"I always tried to be the best of my generation and I think I have clearly succeeded."
The 42-year-old driver confirmed plans to compete in 10 of this season's 14 rallies, with a possible 11th appearance if a record-breaking 10th title is on the line.
"It's a little more than in previous years because the team wanted me more often after Kalle Rovanpera's retirement (from rallying). And for my part, when things are going as well as they are at the moment, it's always interesting to try to make the most of it," he said.
"The goal is to try to maintain this fairly exceptional level of performance. I know it will not be easy."
Ogier said he did not yet know if he would still be rallying after the 2026 season, nor about his next projects in motor racing.
"The 24 Hours of Le Mans was an experience I really liked and I hope to return because it's quite an incredible race," Ogier said, adding that the Dakar Rally did not appeal to him very much.
The 2026 season opens with the famed Monte Carlo Rally where the French driver is the record-holder with 10 wins, including nine in the WRC.
"It's the rally that gave me the dream to become a rally driver," he said. "It's still, in my eyes, the most important rally of the year."
(Reporting by Vincent Daheron; editing by Clare Fallon)
