Julien Ingrassia, former co-driver of Sébastien Ogier, is preparing for a decisive return to the World Rally Championship (WRC) after receiving a last-minute call. Ingrassia has committed to helping Ogier achieve a good result at the Rally Finland, to “honor” the seat left vacant by Vincent Landais, who had to withdraw for personal reasons.
After experiencing a dizzying weekend of preparation, Ingrassia has returned to competition after announcing his retirement after winning the Rally Monza in 2021. His coordination with Ogier, with whom he had previously collaborated during eight world titles, quickly revitalized. In just 48 hours, they participated in pre-tests and worked together to adapt to the GR Yaris Rally1 car.
Ingrassia shared his impressions about sitting next to Ogier again: “I am here because Vincent is not having a good time, and my duty is to replace him. It is he who has to guide the car, not me, and I have to deliver the best possible result to honor his position”.
This return will not be easy, as having been out of competition for five years, Ingrassia must regain his form. However, he expressed satisfaction with his performances during the preliminary tests. Regarding his adaptability to the route notes, he stated that “it’s not about forgetting”. And he added: “Knowing the job is part of my DNA”.
Ogier also commented on his reunion with Ingrassia, noting that the work is similar. “There isn’t much difference with the change of co-driver, the notes are similar and if you don’t think about it too much, it’s not a big change”. He also expressed his commitment to the competition, especially considering the struggle anticipated with his teammates and rivals, such as Hyundai.
With a 38-point deficit to the championship leader, Elfyn Evans, Ogier knows it’s crucial to accumulate points in this rally, given the uncertainty about the final race in Saudi Arabia. “There will be a great fight”, assured Ogier, who hopes to be at the center of the action to secure an excellent result this week”.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
