Frenchman Sebastien Ogier, 41, has won the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally for the tenth time, extending his record. The eight-time world champion won at the start of the World Championship season (WRC) ahead of his Toyota brand colleague Elfyn Evans (Wales) and Adrien Fourmaux (France) in the Hyundai. For Ogier, the Monte is always a real home game: the service park is located in his home town of Gap in the French Alps. “That means the world to me,” said Ogier, indicating that the tenth triumph in what is probably the most important rally in the World Cup calendar could not be followed by another: “I don’t know if that was my last Monte. It would be a good ending.”
Ogier first won the Monte Carlo Rally in 2009, when it was not part of the WRC. He was then successful on the biggest stage from 2014 to 2019, as well as in 2021 and 2023. Ogier has now proven his exceptional class once again over 18 special stages, but he will hardly be competing for the title this year either. Since his last World Cup triumph in 2021, Ogier has only competed in selected rallies, which is also the plan for this year so far.
In addition to second-placed Evans, the title candidates also include former world champions Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota/Finland/4th), Ott Tänak (Estonia/Hyundai/5th) and the Belgian defending champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai/6th). The season extends over a total of 14 rallies in Europe, Africa, South America, Asia and the Middle East. After three years, hybrid drives disappeared from cars and cars were driven purely by combustion engines.
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