The Rallye Monte-Carlo 2022, the new era of the WRC, has finally started with Special Stage 1, the Luceram / Lantosque of 15.20 kilometers covered in the dark of the French night, the first of the two night tests and it was immediately a duel among the most successful drivers of the last 18 years: Sébastien Ogier against Sébastien Loeb.
The Toyota driver had a crazy time behind the wheel of the GR Yaris Rally1, thus winning the first special of the new hybrid era. The 8-time world champion stopped the clock in 10’34 “0, beating the Alsatian rival who defends the colors of the M-Sport Ford team by 5” 4 this weekend.
Toyota immediately proved to be a fast car in the hands of a specialist like Ogier, who has always been among the best drivers even in the dark. Loeb, although he carries 47 springs on his shoulders, finished second at 5 “4 from Ogier. Both, we remember, are racing with a new navigator, Ogier with Benjamin Veillas and Loeb with Isabelle Galmiche.
If Toyota is already in great shape in Ogier’s hands, the start of the Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid EcoBoost also gave an impressive showdown. Beyond Loeb’s great second place, here is the fourth fastest time of a Gus Greensmith who seemed a distant relative of the insecure driver seen last year.
The Brit preceded teammates Craig Breen and Adrien Fourmaux, fifth and sixth respectively, all three behind third-placed Elfyn Evans at the wheel of the second GR Yaris Rally1. The gaps inflicted by Ogier, considering that Evans is at 9 “3 despite being in third place, are impressive.
A really difficult start for Hyundai Motorsport, with only Thierry Neuville able to grit his teeth and be close to third. The Belgian finished seventh at 15 “9 from Ogier and is the first Hyundai driver in the standings. It fared much worse for Oliver Solberg, eighth at 22” 3 from Ogier and Ott Tanak, 1 tenth slower than the Swede -Norwegian.
There was a brake problem that slowed Neuville for most of the first special stage, while Kalle Rovanpera was the slowest Rally1 driver with the third official GR Yaris due to a spin in the first part of the test.
WRC – Rallye Monte-Carlo – Ranking after PS1
Pos. | Pilot / navigator | Car | Time / posting |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ogier / Veillas | Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 | 10’34 “0 |
2 | loeb / Galmiche | Ford Puma Rally1 | +5 “4 |
3 | Evans / Martin | Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 | +9 “3 |
4 | Greensmith / Andersson | Ford Puma Rally1 | +12 “3 |
5 | Breen / Nagle | Ford Puma Rally1 | +13 “2 |
6 | Fourmaux / Coria | Ford Puma Rally1 | +13 “7 |
7 | Neuville / Wydaeghe | Hyundai i20 N Rally1 | +15 “9 |
8 | Solberg / Edmondson | Hyundai i20 N Rally1 | +22 “3 |
9 | Tanak / Jarveoja | Hyundai i20 N Rally1 | +22 “4 |
10 | Katsuta / Johnston | Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 | +24 “8 |
#WRC #MonteCarlo #PS1 #Ogier #Loeb