Ogier rode for two days in the French Alps, enjoying the sun and dry conditions on Saturday and Sunday. There was however enough ice around it to give the road a real Rallye Monte-Carlo feel (January 20-23).

The Frenchman, who returns to a part-time schedule in 2022, will test for one more day ahead of the opening of the FIA ​​World Rally Championship season next month.

“This new technology is of course a bit of a challenge for the teams and it’s going to be a challenge for the drivers – it’s different,” said Ogier. “But the first test was positive for me. My first impression was positive.

“The car is reacting differently from what we’ve been used to for the past five years. There are new parameters that we have to get used to: we have to adapt to the regeneration and then to the way we use the [electric] to strenghten.

“It’s something exciting for us as riders, it’s something new and when you have something new like this it always raises the expectations for the season.”

Ogier first tasted a car with over 500 BHP Rally1, which combines the power of a 100 kW electric motor with the power of the 1.6-liter turbo gasoline engine.

“Everyone loves power,” he said, “drivers always want power and that’s great when anything comes.”

Last weekend’s testing also marked the start of a new chapter for the car as Benjamin Veillas replaces Julien Ingrassia as co-driver.

Veillas has co-piloted Ogier, who won their eighth world title in Italy last month, in numerous tests before, but this was the first time the couple had worked on a rally they would take part in together.

Toyota’s test continues this week, with Elfyn Evans performing the Yaris test before Kalle Rovanperä takes the wheel for the last hybrid race of the year.