Ogier: Rally GB victory turning point in WRC title race

Sebastien Ogier feels his victory at Rally GB in October acted as the turning point in the FIA World Rally Championship title race in 2018, sparking a recovery from 23 points behind to clinch a sixth consecutive crown.

Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia started the WRC season strongly with M-Sport Ford, winning three of the first four events, but suffered a mid-season slump that left them trailing both Hyundai's Thierry Neuville and Toyota's Ott Tanak in the standings with three rallies to go.

Ogier took victory in Rally GB before a second-place finish in Spain to edge into the lead of the championship ahead of the season finale in Australia, where retirements for Neuville and Tanak ensured a sixth straight WRC title for Ogier.

"It was an intense season. The suspense was there right to the last moment of the season and to come out as the winner again was a great feeling," Ogier said during the FIA's Champions press conference in St. Petersburg.

"I think Rally Wales GB was the turning point. There were three rallies to go and we were 23 points behind the leaders. We needed a strong result and winning Rally GB was really important, for the points, but also mentally. I believe that from this moment on the pressure was on their shoulders.

"We all know that psychology has a big effect in sport and we just managed to be stronger in the last part of the season."

Ogier will join Citroen for the 2019 WRC campaign as he looks to take a seventh WRC crown and edge closer to compatrioit Sebastien Loeb's all-time record of nine championships.