Copyright © 2022 DirtFish, LLC. All rights reserved.

Reigning World Rally Champion has sealed a deal to pursue his new ambition of winning in prototype racing

Photography by Richard Mille, Toyota

Sébastien Ogier will compete with Richard Mille Racing for a full World Endurance Championship campaign in the LMP2 class this season, which includes the jewel-in-the-crown Le Mans 24 Hours race.

Eight-time world champion Ogier has long made it clear that he only intends to compete in the World Rally Championship part-time in 2022, despite taking second place on the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally, as he looks towards a future in circuit racing.

Immediately after the Monte in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, Ogier was testing Toyota’s GR010 Hybrid racing car at Motorland Aragón in Spain for two days.

But his first full racing program won’t be with his rallying employer, as he will instead ply his trade in the second-tier LMP2 class while targeting a step up to Toyota’s factory team in the future.

Ogier will compete in all six rounds of the WEC season alongside team-mates Lilou Wadoux and Charles Milesi, beginning with the 1000 Miles of Sebring on March 18.

“Up until now, I have focused on my rally career, but it has been on my mind for a long time that endurance racing could be a good challenge. LMP2 is a fantastic category and the best way for me to reach the highest level of endurance racing and improve in this discipline,” said Ogier.

“I am a novice for sure, but I want to enjoy myself while assessing what’s possible and seeing how close I can get to the best.

“This adventure is enticing, but I am aware that I have a lot to learn and a lot of experience to gain. I have always had a good capacity to adapt in rallying, so I hope that this will also be true on race tracks!”

Ogier’s WRC program is yet to be confirmed but he is expected to contest four or five rallies and is understood to be interested in competing on both Rally Portugal and Safari Rally Kenya.

The Acropolis Rally would be impossible as it clashes with the 6 Hours of Fuji while likewise the season finale of WEC – the 8 Hours of Bahrain – coincides with the WRC’s final event in Japan.

Esapekka Lappi will drive the works GR Yaris Rally1 vacated by Ogier in the WRC, starting with Rally Sweden in late February.

Tags: Le Mans 24H, Sébastien Ogier, Toyota, WEC

Publish Date January 31, 2022 DirtFish https://www-dirtfish.imgix.net/2022/01/ogier_lmp2.jpeg?fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=520&ixlib=php-1.2.1&q=70&w=780&wpsize=entry-main January 31, 2022

Sign up today and be the first to know about special offers, exclusive products and more!

Copyright © 2022 DirtFish, LLC. All rights reserved.

Subaru Impreza STI Sedan & Hatchback Features

Roll Cage: Every rally car requires a welded-in safety cage. The roll cages in our cars are built in-house from scratch.

Racing Seats: Driver and co-driver need to be firmly mounted to the structure of the vehicle. The use of hinged-back seats in rally vehicles is prohibited in rally and most forms of racing.

Racing Harnesses: Safety first. A minimum of a 5-point harness is required by all American rally sanctioning bodies. The 5 points consist of 2 shoulder harness, 2 lap belts and a single anti-submarine belt (not shown).

Handbrake: Most rally cars use a hydraulic handbrake. The purpose of the handbrake maneuver is to turn a car around a very tight corner by locking up the rear wheels aiding in the rotation of the car around the corner.

Engine: Our Subaru STi’s use a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder Turbo-charged Boxer engine.

Drive train: The Subaru STi is equipped with an advanced all-wheel-drive system with an active center differential.

Gravel Rally Tires: Being a rally school, we spend most of our time on gravel roads. To maximize the learning experience, we outfit all of our cars with the latest gravel rally tires for maximum traction.

Method Rally Wheels: It is very important to have a durably strong, yet lightweight rally wheel that can hold up to constant abuse, rocks, rough roads and punctures. At DirtFish, we use and trust Method Race Wheels.

Suspension: Rally is rarely on a perfectly smooth roads, because of that rally cars require suspension that can take the abuse. We choose to use Reiger rally suspension on our cars.

Brakes: Rally cars commonly use a 15″ rally wheel. In order for the wheels to fit on our Subaru STi’s, we had to convert them to a Group N brake setup.

Underbody Protection: Driving at high speeds over variable surfaces can easily damage parts. With the constant spray of gravel that gets thrown at them, skid plates and urethane underbody protection help with the longevity of the underbody of the cars.

Roll Cage: Every rally car requires a welded-in safety cage. The roll cages in our cars are built in-house from scratch.

Racing Seats: Driver and co-driver need to be firmly mounted to the structure of the vehicle. The use of hinged-back seats in rally vehicles is prohibited in rally and most forms of racing.

Racing Harnesses: Safety first. A minimum of a 5-point harness is required by all American rally sanctioning bodies. The 5 points consist of 2 shoulder harness, 2 lap belts and a single anti-submarine belt (not shown).

Handbrake: Most rally cars use a hydraulic handbrake. The purpose of the handbrake maneuver is to turn a car around a very tight corner by locking up the rear wheels to aid the rotation of the car around the corner.

Engine: The Subary BRZ is powered by a 2.0 liter naturally aspirated Boxer engine.

Drive train: The Subaru BRZ is rear-wheel-drive and equipped with a limited slip differential.

Gravel Rally Tires: Being a rally school, we spend most of our time on gravel roads. To maximize the learning experience, we outfit all of our cars with the latest gravel rally tires for maximum traction.

Method Rally Wheels: It is very important to have a durably strong, yet lightweight rally wheel that can hold up to constant abuse, rocks, rough roads and punctures. At DirtFish, we use and trust Method Race Wheels.

Suspension: Rally is rarely on a perfectly smooth roads, because of that rally cars require suspension that can take the abuse. We choose to use Reiger rally suspension on our cars.

Brakes: Rally cars commonly use a 15″ rally wheel. Luckily with the Subaru BRZ’s, the stock brake system is more than adequate for our programs.

Underbody Protection: Driving at high speeds over variable surfaces can easily damage parts. With the constant spray of gravel that gets thrown at them, skid plates and urethane underbody protection help with the longevity of the underbody of the cars.

Below you will find an aerial view of the DirtFish property. Go through and check out the courses you’ll be driving on during your driving program! View everything from The Slalom all the way up to our longest course, the Advanced Mill Run!