World Rally Championship (WRC) icon Sebastien Ogier has shared his interest in returning to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), potentially marking his first race in the series since a guest appearance in 2018. This revelation comes after the Frenchman attended the fifth round of the DTM season at the Nürburgring last month, as reported by Motorsport.com.
“One day I will definitely be part of this show, because it’s always fun,” Ogier remarked. “The competition is fierce, the tracks are fantastic, so it’s a great championship to be a part of.”
Ogier is no stranger to GT3 racing. In 2014, he participated in a round of the ADAC GT Masters at the Lausitzring, driving an Audi R8 LMS GT3 alongside Markus Winkelhock. More recently, he took on a partial campaign in the LMP2 class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2022 and even had the opportunity to test Toyota’s Le Mans Hypercar on two occasions.
However, Ogier now finds himself drawn to the sprint race format of the DTM rather than the endurance races he’s explored in the past. His interest is further fueled by personal reasons; his wife, German TV presenter Andrea Kaiser, works as a reporter for DTM’s broadcaster ProSieben.
“There are always close races here; it’s very intense,” Ogier commented on the DTM, where races typically last just over an hour. “The fact that my wife is involved certainly helps me keep up with the series more often.”
Ogier’s previous DTM experience at the Red Bull Ring in 2018 saw him behind the wheel of a Mercedes C63 Class One car. Despite a challenging start, qualifying at the back of the grid, Ogier demonstrated his skill by advancing to finish 12th and 16th in the two races. His familiarity with DTM machinery also includes a test of the Audi RS 5 Class One car in 2016, where he swapped cars with former DTM star Mattias Ekström.
It’s not unusual for WRC drivers to venture into GT3 competition in the DTM. In 2022, Ogier’s former rival, Sebastien Loeb, raced a Ferrari 488 GTE for Red Bull AF Corse at Portimão, filling in for regular driver Nick Cassidy. Loeb finished 16th and 18th in a highly competitive field of 29 cars.
For now, Ogier remains committed to his partial WRC season with Toyota, where he currently holds a strong second place in the championship, despite participating in only six of the nine rounds so far. While Ogier has a chance to clinch his ninth WRC title, which would tie him with Loeb, he has downplayed his odds, acknowledging the 27-point lead held by Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville heading into the final four events.
This weekend, Ogier will be back in action at the Acropolis Rally, the next round of the WRC.
