New look Ogier out for five in a row
The world rally championship starts Thursday in Monaco with Sebastien Ogier out to land a fifth title in a row, but first with new team Ford.
Ogier has pocketed the last four editions with Volkswagen, but the German firm withdrew ahead of the new season as it prepares a new car and focuses on new technology development.
VW had dominated their four seasons, not just owing to Ogier's efforts but those of team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen, who between them bagged 42 wins in 51 races.
After switching to M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ogier's preparations suffered briefly when he crashed a test car on January 10 in the French Alps.
"There will be lots of new things this season and I can't wait for it to start," said Ogier as he champs at the bit to get going with a stable founded by former driver Malcolm Wilson.
"We?ve not had a lot of seat time with the Ford Fiesta WRC, but we?ll give it our best to be ready. We?re aware of the challenges, and I can see how hungry Malcolm and his team are for success," Ogier, 38 race wins and 56 podiums, told the team website.
"It?s a new season in every sense of the word -? a new era, a new car and a new team," he added to wrc.com.
It was Wilson who tried in vain to recruit Sebastien Loeb, the most successful driver in the history of the sport with nine straight world titles, in 2005 just as he embarked on his decade of domination of the circuit with Citroen.
Wilson is confident his team have what it takes with Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia on board as well as Estonian Ott Tanak, 29 and who impressed last season in placing eighth overall after second places in Poland and Wales.
"To say we?re excited is an understatement. We believe that we have produced an exceptional car, and we are in the best possible position ahead of this exciting new era," said Wilson before the team headed out to Monaco.
"Recce finished, now busy to make final preperations and then shakedown in few hours!" Tanak, whose co-driver is Martin Jarveoja, tweeted on Wednesday.
Toyota, returning after 17 years, Citroen, back after a one-year sabbatical -- and Hyundai, team runners-up last season, will look to push Ogier, 33, all the way in a season which sees the introduction of rule changes to boost power and aggression, including raised engine horsepower from 300 to 380 and ramped up aerodynamics. Minimum car weight has also been cut by 25 kilograms.
Toyota are pinning their hopes on Finns Jari-Matti Latvala -- 16 wins to date and four years a VW Ogier teammate -- and Juho Hanninen.
The first of 13 races spanning four continents over 11 gruelling months on a balance of gravel and asphalt terrains.
Australia will bring the curtain down on November 17 to 19.