Ogier Hopes Portugal Learned From Past Mistakes

Sebastien Ogier hopes Rally Portugal organisers have learned from the major criticism surrounding last season’s demanding event schedule. The Toyota Gazoo Racing star believes Portugal remains one of the most physically and mentally exhausting rallies on the modern WRC calendar.

Ogier once again arrives in Portugal as one of the leading favourites after securing seven victories at the iconic gravel rally, more than any driver in WRC history. Last season, the Frenchman inherited the lead after Hyundai driver Ott Tanak suffered a steering failure while controlling the rally.

During the 2025 edition, Rally Portugal received strong criticism from drivers because of the extremely long competitive days. Last year’s Friday schedule included ten special stages with only two short remote services, forcing crews and drivers to spend more than 15 hours operating under rally conditions.

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For 2026, organisers revised the schedule by reducing Friday’s programme to seven stages and one remote service. However, Ogier admitted he is not yet convinced the adjustments have fully solved the event’s core issues.

“I hope it’s a bit better now. I hope someone learned from last year,” Ogier joked.

Although the daily stage count has been reduced, Rally Portugal 2026 still presents a major endurance challenge with 345 competitive kilometres and approximately 1,530 kilometres of liaison sections. The demanding structure forces drivers to spend much of the week inside the car from the beginning of recce activities.

“On Monday morning I had to wake up very early and then we spent 13 hours in the car,” Ogier explained.

From a technical standpoint, Portugal remains one of the most complex gravel rallies because of its combination of high-speed sections, rough surfaces, and limited full-service opportunities. Weather conditions are also expected to become a major factor this weekend with forecasts suggesting rain from Saturday onward, potentially changing grip levels dramatically.

Ogier believes the evolving conditions could place even greater emphasis on tyre management, suspension setup, and driver consistency rather than outright speed alone. Rally Portugal is traditionally extremely punishing on tyres and suspension components, particularly on rough low-grip stages.

Despite Toyota winning every rally so far this season, Ogier expects Hyundai to become a significantly stronger threat in Portugal. Hyundai showed encouraging pace during shakedown running, particularly after Tanak’s dominant speed at the same event last year before his technical failure.

“In terms of pure speed, I think we will see a very good fight,” Ogier said.

Rally Portugal 2026 officially begins on Thursday with three opening special stages before the main gravel sections start on Friday. With unpredictable weather and another highly demanding route, the event is once again expected to become one of the most decisive rallies in the 2026 world championship battle.