STRASBOURG, France // Sebastien Ogier returns to the roads of eastern France where he clinched his first world rallying title last year, determined to repeat the feat in the Rally of France-Alsace this weekend.
The Frenchman knows that only VW Polo team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland can prevent him winning a second successive title.
He aims to wrap it up with time to spare as there are only two races, in Spain and Britain, to follow.
Finishing six points clear of Latvala would see him crowned champion again. But a repeat of the problems he had in Germany, where he and Latvala both withdrew and failed to win a single point between them, would set up a tense finale to the season.
“A 50-point lead, that’s quite good, but Germany is a reminder that I could quickly see it start to slip away,” Ogier said. “I have to avoid a blank result as that could allow Jari-Matti to narrow the gap to 22 points.”
Since being forced out of the race on Germany tarmac, Ogier has had the psychological boost of winning the Rally of Australia to stretch his lead over Latvala, who finished second.
Ogier and Latvala, who have already clinched the manufacturers’ championship for Volkswagen, have dominated this year with the Frenchman winning six events and the Finn three.
“Last year, I only needed one more point,” Ogier said. “This time, it’s more complicated.
“I have to finish ahead of Jari-Matti but can’t afford to take unnecessary risks. I always go out to win, but all the same the main thing is to stay on the road and too bad if it means waiting a few more weeks to take the title.”
The race, held in and around the Alsace capital Strasbourg, starts Friday with seven specials, and ends on Sunday afternoon.
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
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