WRC: Ogier: Running order still a problem

World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier still expects the new running order rules to cost him wins this season, even though he overcame them to win last time out in Mexico.

Before the start of the third WRC round of the season, the Frenchman ruled out a podium finish, believing that running first on the road on Friday and potentially Saturday would be too much of a handicap in the gravelly conditions. In the end, he cantered to a third win of the season and fifth straight victory in the WRC. Even so, Ogier thinks that won't be the case in places like Sardinia.

"Without using the soft tires on the first day, the result in Mexico just wouldn't have been possible," he said. "Wait for some rallies like Sardinia where we have no option to go on soft tires and then you will see the difference and we are going to lose.

"But I am happy that, at least on this rally, we managed to do something which I didn't think was possible."

His Volkswagen teammate Jari-Matti Latvala agreed with that assessment and said: "It will be harder in places like Portugal and Sardinia.

"You can't drive the soft tire there, the roads are so hard and it will be more difficult for him."

Originally on Autosport.com