P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Reigning FIA World Rally Champion Thierry Neuville (main image) led the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally after Thursday evening’s trio of alpine stages north-west of Monaco as early pacesetter Seba…
Thierry Neuville, the reigning FIA World Rally Champion, took the lead at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally after early leader Sebastien Ogier spun. The alpine stages were illuminated by headlamps and crowds as the Rally1 crews adjusted to the absence of hybrid systems and new tire supplier Hankook. Ogier’s hopes for a 10th Monte Carlo victory were dashed by a costly error, dropping him to third place behind Neuville and Elfyn Evans. Neuville handled the challenging conditions well, maintaining a slim lead with a skillful performance on the mixed terrain. The rally also saw Ott Tanak, Adrien Fourmaux, and Kalle Rovanpera in the top positions, with young talent Sami Pajari making his Rally1 debut. In the WRC2 category, Nikolay Gryazin leads the competition though Yohan Rossel holds the lead for Citroen C3 driver in the overall standings.
