Sebastien Ogier Calls WRC Portugal Rally ‘Most Demanding’ Ever

Sebastien Ogier described Rally Portugal as the “most demanding” event of his World Rally Championship career after securing a record seventh victory at the famous gravel rally. The French driver, paired with co-driver Vincent Landais, pulled off his 63rd WRC career win in Portugal.

Ogier’s first win at this event came 15 years ago, but this latest success demanded everything from the crew across a physically brutal schedule.

The Toyota driver was pushed for much of the rally by Hyundai’s Ott Tanak, who led after stage two but lost valuable time on Saturday.

Tanak had a 13.9-second lead when a power steering issue forced him to slow, changing the course of the rally. The schedule left little room for rest, with Friday featuring 10 stages and covering 683 kilometers, including 146 competitive kilometers punctuated by just two short 20-minute remote service stops. Friday featuring 10 stages

Crews spent around 14 hours on the road Friday, followed by a 13-hour Saturday that began at dawn.

On Sunday, the first stage kicked off even earlier at 6:43 a.m.

Ogier explained that he rarely felt so drained inside a rally car, sharing that Saturday felt especially tough and left him struggling for energy after a short night of sleep.

The rough conditions and the need to fight the steering on the loose gravel made it even more difficult for everyone in the car.

Crossing the finish line on Sunday brought a feeling of pure exhaustion for Ogier, but he expressed relief as well, knowing he could finally rest and celebrate with his team.

He praised the effort the entire Toyota Gazoo Racing squad put in and acknowledged that his win was only possible because everyone worked hard through the challenging conditions.

Ogier admitted he needed some recovery time but was eager to share the achievement with the mechanics and teammates who endured the long hours required to keep the rally cars performing.

The battle with Tanak was intense throughout Friday and Saturday. The battle with Tanak

Even after the incident with his steering, Tanak mounted a determined comeback on Sunday and managed to close the gap to just 8.7 seconds by the end of the rally. The Estonian secured the maximum “Super Sunday” points for his charge.

Ogier, meanwhile, complimented Tanak’s speed and joked about his rival being in a hurry, perhaps heading to church, after seeing his fast times.

Ogier recognized that past rallies would sometimes allow more comfortable leads on Sunday, but the current rules and points system now force crews to push to the maximum right to the final stage.

Ogier felt the performance difference was clear on the gravel in Portugal, noting that while Toyota has been strong on tarmac, Hyundai appeared to have the edge this time.

That made the victory even tougher, especially since new rules have made Sunday stages more intense for contenders chasing extra points.

Even for a driver with eight world titles, victories now require an even bigger fight to the finish.

As Rally Portugal wraps up, Ogier’s seventh win at the event stands as one of the most hard-fought of his career.

The physical test, combined with a relentless schedule and close competition, made this a memorable and exhausting week for the French champion and his entire Toyota team.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.