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World champion Sébastien Ogier has surprised his fans ahead of Rally Italia Sardegna, announcing that he will not take part in his beloved Rallye Monte-Carlo next January.
Ogier boasts nine world titles and 68 victories in the World Rally Championship, standing as the most successful driver in Rallye Monte-Carlo history with nine wins. In reality, Ogier has triumphed on the iconic asphalt ten times, though his 2009 victory came when the event was part of the now-defunct Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC).
Ahead of the 2026 WRC season finale in Sardinia, speculation mounted that even if Ogier walked away from the championship at year's end, he would still make an appearance in Monte Carlo. However, the Frenchman set the record straight.
In an interview with French broadcaster Canal+, Ogier confirmed that he will skip Monte Carlo and revealed that he might run an "even more limited programme" next season.
Toyota have yet to announce their driver line-up for next year, with the squad expected to field six cars under the new WRC27 technical regulations and welcome back Kalle Rovanperä and Ott Tänak.
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