French Drivers Dominate Monte-carlo Rally Provisional Podium
The Monte-Carlo Rally is off to a thrilling start, with French drivers shining brightly on the provisional podium after the first nine special stages. Sébastien ogier, the eight-time WRC winner of this iconic event, leads the pack, showcasing his mastery of the treacherous Monte-Carlo roads. Driving for Toyota, Ogier secured the fastest times in ES8 and ES9, overcoming a minor scare in ES6 to finish Friday with a 12.6-second lead over his teammate Elfyn Evans.
Evans, who briefly held the lead after ES8, slipped to second place after a half-spin in the same stage. Simultaneously occurring, Adrien Fourmaux, the second French contender in the Rally1 category, delivered an impressive performance in his new Hyundai. Fourmaux claimed the fastest time in ES6, a stage where his teammates Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak faced setbacks. He ended the day in third place, just 14.2 seconds behind Evans.
Neuville and Tänak Struggle with Misfortune
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak had a challenging day, with Neuville losing nearly two minutes due to a puncture in ES9. This incident forced him off the road at the same turn where he had previously encountered trouble in ES6. Tänak, conversely, struggled to maintain pace, losing 15 seconds in ES6 after sliding into an embankment.The Estonian currently sits in fifth place, 47.3 seconds behind Ogier, while Neuville is ninth, nearly four minutes adrift.
Toyota’s Mixed Fortunes
Double world champion Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) had a relatively quiet start but managed to secure fourth place, 38.5 seconds off the lead.His teammate Takamoto Katsuta, though, is already lagging, sitting in seventh place with a 1’37” deficit.
At M-Sport, Grégoire Munster has taken the lead role despite a puncture in ES7. He currently holds sixth place, 1’33” behind ogier. His new teammate, Josh McErlean, has struggled to keep up, losing approximately 2.5 seconds per kilometer since the rally began. The Irishman is 5’51” behind at the halfway mark.
Key Standings After Day One
| Driver | Team | Position | Gap to Leader |
|————————|————|————–|——————–|
| Sébastien Ogier | Toyota | 1st | - |
| Elfyn Evans | Toyota | 2nd | 12.6” |
| Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | 3rd | 14.2” |
| Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | 4th | 38.5” |
| Ott Tänak | Hyundai | 5th | 47.3” |
| Grégoire Munster | M-Sport | 6th | 1’33” |
| Takamoto Katsuta | toyota | 7th | 1’37” |
| Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | 9th | ~4’00” |
As the rally progresses, all eyes will be on Ogier as he aims to extend his lead and secure yet another Monte-Carlo victory. Will Evans and Fourmaux close the gap, or will Neuville and Tänak stage a comeback? Stay tuned for more updates from the Monte-Carlo Rally.
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