Ogier: Australia shouldn't be finale
ByAutoSport
Published 16/09/2015 at 16:39 GMT
Sebastien Ogier wants Rally GB to remain in its position as the last round of the World Rally Championship amid a potential calendar swap with Rally Australia for 2016.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Next year's WRC schedule is due to be revealed at the end of this month, with Australia widely tipped to move to the season finale.
But three-time world champion Ogier urged FIA officials to consider the sporting implications of such a change given the high level of road cleaning the championship leader would face in Australia.
"Imagine if it was the last round and you go there and play for the championship on that event; on such a rally," he said.
"With such a disadvantage on the starting order, would it be a nice end for the championship? I don't think so.
"If you go there as the leader, it would be really unfair and we don't have this problem in GB - the difference between first and second on the road there is very small."
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One of the key elements for Australia's push to be the final round of the series is the staging of an end-of-season party in Sydney on the Monday night after the rally.
The organisers are reckoned to have set aside around a quarter of a million pounds for the black tie ball.
There was, however, little appetite for staying around after the rally and season had finished.
Volkswagen's Jost Capito said: "We already have the FIA's gala and we have our party ourselves, I'm not sure [it's necessary]."
M-Sport chief Malcolm Wilson was also dismissive.
"I can tell you now, we won't be there," he said of his self-funded team.
Ogier added that drivers would have little appetite for post-event festivities in Sydney.
"The priority number one is not the party," he said.
"OK, we must always support the events to promote the rallies, but after that rally I'm not sure people want to stay longer. I think they might want to get home."
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