Sebastien Ogier

The 36-year-old Frenchman is still in the running for a seventh title but is 14 points behind Welsh team mate Elfyn Evans with one round remaining, the Monza Rally in Italy next month. The season has been limited to just seven rounds due to the pandemic, with Ogier winning in Mexico in March. "We have had a short season with only a few rallies, but enough for me to see that I really enjoy working with the team, I enjoy driving this car," said Ogier, who had planned to retire at the end of 2020

Citroen Racing said it had made the decision "due to the absence of a first-class driver available for (the) 2020 season" but commercial factors were also a major consideration. The motorsport.com website said Ogier was expected to be announced as a Toyota driver on Monday. Toyota's Estonian Ott Tanak won the driver's title in Spain last month, ending Ogier's six-year reign, but announced four days later that he was joining Hyundai for 2020.

After a string of successful years, Volkswagen Motorsport will be leaving WRC.

Volkswagen became only the fifth manufacturer to lock out the podium at the WRC Monte Carlo Rally when Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen scored a dominant 1-2-3 finish in the Mediterranean principality this weekend.

Not unlike some other motor racing disciplines, the World Rally Championship tends to be ruled by dynasties. The late 1980s were dominated by Lancia, Toyota won a succession of titles in the early 90s, Mitsubishi and Subaru traded top spots in the l

For the tenth year in a row, a Frenchmen named Sébastien has been named the champion of the World Rally Championship – only it's probably not Sébastien you were expecting. Dethroning Sébastien Loeb from his WRC reign is 29-year-old Sébastien Ogier (shown above, at right) and his Volkswagen Polo R WRC.