Sebastien Ogier says he will not get dragged into a fight with Petter Solberg for victory on this week's Rally Japan.
The Frenchman is competing on his second World Rally Championship round as a member of the works Citroen lineup and he says a points finish is the priority to help the team in the race for the manufacturers' crown. Ogier is just 10.3sec behind leader Solberg at the midday service, despite running second on what is reported to be a cleaning road on the Sapporo-based event's opening loop.
"Catching Petter is not my priority," said Ogier. "My target on this event is to make the podium. I have been fighting for the podium on gravel rallies and I want to do this again on this rally."
Ogier is 2.2sec ahead of the man he replaced in the factory Citroen team, Dani Sordo, the Spaniard running in the Citroen Junior team alongside Kimi Raikkonen on gravel rallies in the second half of the season.