Sébastien Ogier has issued a public apology to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Paraguayan President Santiago Peña following a heated exchange at Rally Paraguay over issues with the World Rally Championship.
The reigning world champion expressed regret for his conduct during Saturday’s incident, which occurred after he confronted officials regarding ongoing concerns about WRC tire supplier Hankook. Ben Sulayem was present at the event for a press conference announcing new commercial rights holders.
While the exact details of their interaction remain undisclosed, Ogier had previously been vocal about tire failures experienced by several drivers on Friday. The Toyota driver suffered two punctures before retiring due to front suspension damage after stage three, describing the tires as “not the standard for a world championship” and calling the situation “unacceptable.”
Sebastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
In a statement released several hours after Rally Paraguay concluded, Ogier confirmed that he had apologized directly to both presidents on Saturday evening, followed by a constructive meeting with Ben Sulayem to discuss his concerns.
“After an eventful and very well organized Rally del Paraguay I would like to take the opportunity to publicly apologize for the out of line interaction with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and President of Paraguay Santiago Peña yesterday afternoon,” Ogier stated.
“It was neither the right moment nor the right tone in which I raised my concerns about the championship.”
“I have already had the chance to apologize to both Presidents in person last night, followed by a very constructive meeting.”
“It was actually a great moment to speak with FIA President Ben Sulayem and be able to address a few areas that we all know need attention and improvement in our sport.”
“Together, we set some clear targets which I look forward to seeing implemented for a better future of rallying.”
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