---
title: "Rally Champion Meets Family of Cows During Race"
description: "Please don't try the veal."
date: "2016-03-10"
modified: "2016-03-10"
authors:
  - name: "Brendan McAleer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/brendan-mcaleer"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/2508/rally-champion-meets-family-of-cows-during-race"
categories:
  - "News"
  - "Racing"
tags:
  - "racing"
  - "rally"
---

# Rally Champion Meets Family of Cows During Race

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/031016-car-cow-race-hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Rally Guanajuato, held some 250 miles northwest of Mexico city, might be the most challenging leg of the [World Rally Championship](<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiQsdudmbbLAhXJdj4KHRV6CzgQFggdMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrc.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNHpqwvycEcMBa6p0gEwZXIR_RkUQg&sig2=EiOUJdNa3SeoX6yNsmHRKg>). It's hot as hell, and the hard-packed gravel picks up ruts soon as the first car runs; in the thin air of 9000-foot mountain passes, any mistake is punished with a devastating loss of momentum. Also, there are cows.

Cows are bred for deliciousness, not for an instinct for self-preservation. Thus, when reigning champion and [current WRC points leader](<https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjrx7m8mbbLAhVKPD4KHZwkBDcQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrc.com%2Fen%2Fwrc%2Fresults%2Fchampionship%2Fdrivers%2Fpage%2F193-290-8--.html&usg=AFQjCNHGcIHXzPNWnGl_I7ywdWO5jFzuvA&sig2=Gc6me8yS1I5Jm4SWD494hw&bvm=bv.116573086,d.cWw>) [Sébastien Ogier](<https://www.sebastien-ogier.com/en/>) rounded a corner at high speed and came upon a small herd of cattle crossing the road, the result seemed to be a foregone conclusion: One battle-damaged Volkswagen Polo racecar, one large steak tartar.

However, rally drivers aren't like us. They've all got the reaction times of a *Halo* veteran and the car control of Michael Schumacher in his prime. Ogier skirts the calfs dashing towards his car, skimming past close enough to pick up a bumper-full of cow snot, but not actually contacting a panicked animal. In his wake, Ogier left a huge cloud of Mexican dust, a few appreciative fans, and a couple of bewildered cows. Mind you, bewildered is pretty much the base state of being a cow.

While disaster was averted, the swerve might've been enough to knock Ogier down from first place: He finished second at Guanajuato, but still has a comfortable 33-point lead over Ford's Matt Østberg.

https://youtube.com/embed/hZ75IOekC5s

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