8 MINUTES AGO! Sébastien Ogier mentioned Sébastien Loeb and did EXACTLY what FIA President Ben Sulayem feared.
In a decision that came in the final eight minutes, eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier directly referred to his fellow countryman, rally legend Sébastien Loeb, in a statement, reportedly doing precisely what FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem had been trying to prevent. This bold act of solidarity is seen as a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between the rallying icons and FIA officials.
While the exact context and platform of Ogier’s statement are still widely circulated, sources indicate that he explicitly mentioned Loeb’s name and the recent controversial treatment he received from the FIA, including the stripping of his Legend title and a ban from WRC events and media. By publicly acknowledging and aligning himself with Loeb, Ogier directly challenged Ben Sulayem’s attempts to isolate and silence the nine-time champion.
This act of defiance from another highly respected WRC figure is precisely what Ben Sulayem would have feared. The FIA president’s unprecedented sanctions against Loeb were likely intended to send a clear message and deter others from publicly criticizing his leadership. Ogier’s open support for Loeb undermines this strategy and could potentially embolden other engines, teams, and influential figures in the rally world to voice their own concerns.
The rallying community is now watching with bated breath to see the fallout from Ogier’s statement. Ben Sulayem and the FIA are likely to view this as a direct challenge to their authority and may consider further action. However, the public display of unity between two of rallying’s greatest drivers could galvanize fans and further intensify pressure on the FIA to reconsider its stance and the controversial sanctions imposed on Sébastien Loeb.
