The 2022 World Rally Championship has largely been the ‘Kalle Rovanpera show’, but in Spain last weekend Sebastien Ogier reminded everyone that the eight-time world champion has still got it. For a period, the thousands of fans that flocked to what is now likely to be the last Rally Spain for some time were treated to a fascinating contest. New world champion Rovanpera versus the outgoing world champion Ogier.
After Rovanpera comprehensively beat Ogier on New Zealand’s wet gravel to become the youngest WRC champion, the changing of the baton was complete. But the smooth sinuous Spanish asphalt roads offered Ogier, back on his favoured surface that has yielded plenty of success over his glittering career, a chance to roll back the years in style.
Ogier’s decision to go part-time this season to spend more time with his family and explore sportscar racing opportunities meant his name wouldn’t be engraved on the world champion’s trophy. But the desire to be the best has never left Ogier. This was evident in Monte Carlo in January, when a penultimate-stage puncture robbed him of a likely win over
