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Sebastien Ogier: DTM debut proves I could be competitive in series

Five-time World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier believes his DTM debut at the Red Bull Ring shows he has the potential to race full-time in the series in the future

Ogier was the third and final guest driver in the DTM this year joining Mercedes in Austria and qualifying 19th and last for both races, but improving to be within a quarter of a second of 18th in the last session.

On Saturday he was an encouraging 12th place after a strong second stint but ended his weekend with a lapped 17th the following day, when he was forced into making an additional pitstop after getting oil on his windscreen in a battle with BMW's Augusto Farfus.

Asked whether the Red Bull Ring weekend made a potential future in the DTM more likely, Ogier replied: "I don't know what the future will bring, I think right now I'm working on continuing a bit in rallying.

"But to see such a competitive championship, to do it as a guest was very difficult. Still it was a chance to have a first view of it, I think I've shown some kind of potential already in my first appearance. "

Of course it would be a long way to go to be really competitive here, but maybe one day I'll make the cross to DTM and try to have a new career on the track."

Ogier believes he can be satisfied with his results in the changeable conditions at the Red Bull Ring.

"Coming here, I was sure it would be a tough weekend and a difficult experience, but also a mega opportunity to race in a competitive series at a very high level in very good cars," he said.

"Of course the [weather] of the weekend made it even harder than it was supposed to be, because there was no consistency in driving and, with my limited experience of the car, changing conditions were very hard to handle for me.

"Also I came here in the middle of a big fight for the championship, which my team is obviously involved in, strategy-wise I was always at the bottom of the list and giving priority to my team-mates, which I completely understand.

"I had pretty good pace in my second stint. I'm happy with that.

"I knew I was not coming here to make a good result, that was clear from the beginning, but being able to improve and progress like this all the time was nice for me."

Ogier is understood to be closing on a deal to move across from M-Sport Ford to join Citroen in the WRC next season, but has previously alluded to the prospect of making a switch to circuit racing when he retires from rallying.

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