Four-time WRC champion Sebastien Ogier says his participation in the 2017 campaign remains uncertain – even though he is keen to compete. Ogier claimed his fourth WRC title with Volkswagen in 2016 but, thanks to the marque’s decision to pull out of the series, the Frenchman is without a seat for the upcoming season. He tested with Toyota and M-Sport soon after the season finale in Australia, with Citroen also reported as a possible destination.
However, Ogier has not committed to any team yet, and cannot confirm he will be staying in the series.
“At the moment, I still don’t know if I will be part of the 2017 championship,” said Ogier at the FIA World Champions Gala in Vienna on Friday.
“I cannot guarantee it right now, but I still wish to compete.
“I became a father and it becomes harder and harder to leave home – right now I still have some energy to give to the sport I love.”
Ogier did say that he was more likely to continue than to sit out, but insisted he will only go ahead with the right team.
He said:”I want to be there, but I want to be there only if I am in a project that is interesting and the target for me must be to perform and be successful with what we achieved in the last four years.
“I would prefer to step back rather than have a project that I don’t like or don’t have motivation I need to have.
“There is more chance to see me next year in Monte Carlo than see me at home.”
Stability the priority
Speaking about his 2017 options, he added: “Nothing is clearly decided right now. My options… my vision starts to be more clear, but unfortunately I have nothing to announce right now.
“You always look for a works team, that is where [there is the] most guarantee of the future, my priority is to get stability in what I do and I think this stability you only get with a works team.
“But the truth is I have had an amazing team [in Volkswagen], it was not the best news to learn the story is coming to an end, I was be happy to go further with them, but with the timing it was difficult to find a solution.
“Pretty soon – I hope next week – I will be able to move forward and announce what my future is.”
Just like Ogier, his now-former VW teammates Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen have also yet to announce their 2017 programmes.
Story: Motorsport.com