Julien Ingrassia has revealed the terrifying moments that followed Sébastien Ogier's high-speed accident at Rally Finland, admitting he feared the worst after seeing his long-time teammate lose consciousness immediately after escaping their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.
The French duo crashed out while leading the rally on Saturday's Stage 17 after their car left the road at high speed and rolled into the forest. Although both crew members managed to get out of the car without assistance, the situation quickly became critical once they were outside the cockpit.
Speaking about the incident, Ingrassia explained that his first priority was to follow the standard safety procedure by pressing the OK button to indicate that no immediate rescue was required. However, moments later he noticed Ogier collapse onto the ground and lose consciousness, forcing him to activate the emergency beacon and rush to his side. With the help of nearby spectators, Ingrassia kept Ogier's head stable while waiting for the medical crews to arrive, all while remaining in contact with Toyota to report the driver's condition.
Fortunately, Ogier gradually regained consciousness before emergency personnel reached the scene. Both he and Ingrassia were taken to hospital for precautionary examinations and were later discharged after spending the night under medical observation.
Ingrassia also shed light on the cause of the accident, explaining that initial assessments found no evidence of a mechanical failure or driving error. Instead, the crew believes a deep rut formed in the corner unexpectedly deflected the car off its intended line, sending it straight into the trees despite Ogier's steering input. He also praised the strength of the current Rally1 cars, describing their safety standards as a key factor in allowing both crew members to walk away from one of the biggest accidents of the 2026 WRC season.
"I saw Seb get out, I realised I wasn't injured, so I followed the procedure," Ingrassia told L'Équipe.
"I pressed the car's OK button, which tells them we don't need emergency assistance and allows the stage to continue.
"But by the time I'd done that, I saw Seb lie down in the grass and pass out.
"From that point on, the accident took on a whole new dimension.
"I immediately activated the emergency beacon and went over to Seb.
"His eyes weren't blinking anymore – there was no sound, no picture.
"With the help of two or three spectators, we held his head still while I fanned him with my pace notes.
"It was a worrying moment.
"I'd never dealt with anything like that in my life, but I knew it was important to stay calm.
"After raising the alarm, I called the team to give them a medical assessment of what I was seeing.
"I also switched off the car because there was a risk it could catch fire.
"Little by little, with people talking to him and everyone around him, Seb came back to his senses.
"That's when the emergency services arrived."
Photo Credits: Toyota
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