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Ogier "considering" WRC exit at the end of 2017

Sebastien Ogier admits that he has yet to decide which team to commit to for the 2018 WRC season, and says that retiring from the sport also remains an option.

World Champions Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport

World Champions Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport

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World Champions Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Podium: Winner Elfyn Evans, Daniel Barritt, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport, second Thierry Neuville, Nicolas Gilsoul, Hyundai i20 WRC, Hyundai Motorsport, third Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
World Champions Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport

After dominating the field for four years, Volkswagen's departure at the end of 2016 left Ogier without a seat in WRC, the Frenchman coming close to retirement.

While he eventually signed with M-Sport and won his fifth crown in the penultimate round in Wales last weekend, the 33-year-old's future is once again uncertain.

With Ford still reluctant to give factory support to M-Sport, Ogier was strongly linked to a Citroen return in 2018, but the Frenchman has now admitted that he is again considering retirement.

"I'm always analysing a lot of things in my way of managing the championship and the way of managing my life in general, so I don't make the decision easily," he told WRC.com after clinching his fifth title.

"I'm still working on different options. I'm honest with you, right now I haven't really decided. I am enjoying a lot of time at home with my son and my wife, of course you can see life differently, but when you make a weekend like this.

"I'm not winning this weekend, but it was a big pleasure behind the steering wheel and also we have the fastest WRC car ever. It's good fun as well."

Ogier said his two crashes in Rally Finland, hitting a tree in a pre-event test and then also going off on Friday, have also played a part in his dilemma.

"Of course, this kind of moment [winning the title] makes me think about the risks you take, especially like in the test," he added.

"I couldn't do anything with this crash, it was just bad luck. Big rocks in the road, a flat-out corner and I had no way to avoid it. It was a big crash coming to me."

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