Sebastien Ogier impresses M-Sport in 2017 WRC Ford test
M-Sport team principal Malcolm Wilson was impressed with World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier's performance as he tested the 2017 Ford Fiesta RS WRC for the first time on Friday
Having been freed from his Volkswagen contract in order to test alternative World Rally Cars for next season, Ogier has driven Toyota's Yaris WRC and the Fiesta in the last three days.
Ogier flew into south Wales on Friday morning and spent much of the day driving the Ford in the Walter's Arena section of the Rheola stage.
Wilson told Autosport: "The test went well. The car performed very well all day.
"I have to say it looked very impressive from where I was watching from, it was great to see Seb in the car."
Four-time champion Ogier's attitude and approach stood out to Wilson.
"People had told me before how straightforward and easy he was to work with and that's just how I found him," he said.
"I was really pleased with the respect shown from him and Julien [Ingrassia, co-driver] and our guys.
"The car started the test in the same set-up it had been when Ott [Tanak] was driving it yesterday.
"Seb drove it like that, then came back and made some changes - he was keen to see how the car felt when he'd made some specific changes. And the good news was that the sun was shining!"
Wilson has made no secret of his determination to sign Ogier for 2017 and hopes the test moved a deal closer.
"He got a good kick of the ball," Wilson said.
"Now it's back to the discussions which will continue next week."
Following the test, Ogier and Ingrassia flew to Hannover to attend Volkswagen Motorsport's end of season party.
Toyota team principal Tommi Makinen had been unwilling to go into detail about Ogier's time in the Yaris
Though Ogier ideally wanted to test all four available 2017 WRC machines before making a decision, Hyundai has no space for him and Citroen has struggled to source the budget for a deal - and will not let him test without an agreement in place.
Previous article
Ogier tests M-Sport's 2017 WRC Fiesta
Next article
Safari Rally poised to rejoin World Rally Championship in 2019
Vodafone Rally de Portugal Friday afternoon recap
Croatia Rally SS5-SS8
WRC Croatia Rally 2021 Teaser
TOP 5 reasons to watch Croatia Rally 2021!
How Hyundai's broken record gave Toyota a special Sardinia 1-2
For the second WRC gravel rally in a row, a promising Friday for Hyundai turned into desolation as Toyota gratefully picked up the pieces. This time it was championship leader Sebastien Ogier who took full advantage after Ott Tanak and Dani Sordo retired to score a memorable victory, having swept the road on the first two days
How Hyundai's latest self-destruction handed Evans Portugal victory
At one point Hyundai held the top three positions in Portugal, but when trouble struck the Korean marque's two leading chargers, a grateful Elfyn Evans was on hand to see off Hyundai third man Dani Sordo and become the third different winner in four rallies
Why the success of AVB's WRC debut won't be defined on the stages
Three years after a Dakar Rally crash resulted in him being airlifted to hospital, Andre Villas-Boas is preparing to make his debut on his home round of the World Rally Championship later this month. His goals for the event are modest, but the same cannot be said for the charities he plans to promote where his true impact could be felt
Why there's no easy fix for Hyundai's operational Achilles Heel
Hyundai Motorsport boss Andrea Adamo was vocal in his criticism of his team's tyre choices on Rally Croatia and declared that he "had better move my ass and solve it". Doing so will be vital to getting Hyundai's 2021 WRC title hopes back on track, but finding the root of the problem won't be the work of a moment
How Ogier held on after a shock bump in the road to triumph in Croatia
Sebastien Ogier was already in an incredibly tight fight at Rally Croatia before a surprise collision with public road traffic at the start of the final day. But the defending champion held his nerve to take a narrow victory and create further World Rally Championship history
Why the casualty of rallying's evolution should still be cherished
The WRC's support categories are in a process of streamlining that will spell the end of a formalised 2WD world championship-level category. While its relevance to the top level has been questioned for some time, that doesn't mean it should be swept quietly under the carpet
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate
