Ogier fined for “exhibition driving” after the win in Spain

The RallyRACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada rally winner Sébastien Ogier has been handed a fine for performing celebratory donuts following his win and Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT won the 2022 manufacturer´s title.

The eight-time world rally champion scored his first win of the all-new Rally1 hybrid era but the win was also his first since Rally Monza last year. Ogier beat the Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT driver Thierry Neuville by 16.4 seconds. The team managed to secure the title when the teammate Kalle Rovanperä managed to bring home a third-place finish.

The WRC stewards have issued the 38-year-old Frenchman with a reprimand and a fine of 1,500 euros for breach of Article 34.1.3 in the 2022 WRC sporting regulations for “exhibition driving” before the podium in Salou as the podium haven´t been declared as “exhibition driving” zone in the supplementary regulation of the rally.

The stewards decision reads: “The Stewards heard from the Team Manager Mr. Kaj Lindström at 18:00 on 23 October 2022. He apologized that the driver was not able to attend the meeting, but he had a phone call with the driver to get his explanation. The Team Manager stated that the driver saw how one preceding car started with the launch into the podium area and he thought this was an exhibition area prepared to perform doughnuts. The Team Manager apologized for this incident.”

“The Stewards nevertheless note that under Article 34.1.3 of the 2022 FIA WRC Sporting Regulations, “exhibition driving may only be performed when permitted by the supplementary regulations of the rally”. This was not the case here, neither in the Supplementary Regulations nor in a Bulletin. The driving behavior, which the Stewards consider to be “exhibition driving”, did, in this case, represent an unsafe act.”