Ogier feels no pressure for Rally Italy

As with the Production competition category of the WRC, Junior drivers have to nominate their favourite six from seven rallies. Citroen man Ogier selected the first two rounds, and subsequently took maximum scores from both Mexico (where he finished ninth overall) and Jordan.

He is now aiming to become the first JWRC driver to score three wins from three starts since Loeb in 2001.

Despite never having started a WRC round before his first victory in central America in March, Ogier is coming to terms with competition at the highest level.

"I'm starting to feel at home with the WRC format," said the C2 S1600-driver. "But I don't know this event [Sardinia] any better than the first two. We're not under any pressure to win, finishing on the podium would be a good result for us. The competition will be tougher this week, though, because everybody's nominated this rally."

Loeb remains the only man to have won each JWRC round he started, although it was known as the Super 1600 Championship when he dominated it in 2001.