This year's World Championship started with the traditional Monte Carlo Rally . The first two special stages left on Thursday. And right from the start, the phenomenal Sébastien Loeb shone, returning after more than a year behind the wheel of the Citroën DS3 WRC. His closest rival was Ott Tänak with a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, who was 22 seconds behind. Sébastien Ogier with the Volkswagen Polo WRC lost another 8 seconds. The other Citroën drivers lined up behind him in the order of Kris Meeke and Mads Ostberg . However, Ogier mastered the second test ahead of teammate Jari-Matti Latvala and third Loeb, who, however, remained in the lead overall with a lead of 13 seconds. Thierry Neuville was in eighth position with the best Hyundai i20 WRC, our Martin Prokop was eleventh with his Fiesta.
On Friday, Loeb took over again and extended his lead over Ogier to 28 seconds. But then Ogier tried and again reduced the gap to just 3 seconds. The first starting position was more favorable for him, while Loeb only started fourteenth. Robert Kubica also started from the rear with another Fiesta, who won two heats. Overall, however, after problems with the alternator on Thursday, he was in the top ten. Latvala jumped to third place, Tänak was fourth and second Ford with Elfyn Evans was fifth. Behind them were Meeke , Andreas Mikkelsen in the third Volkswagen, Ostberg , Neuville and his team-mate Sordo . Prokop still held the eleventh position. in the lower WRC2 category, Lefébvre led ahead of Martin Kočí .
In the afternoon, the traditional tire roulette took place for Monte, where Loeb and Ostberg , who put on winter tires without studs, were the best choices. Loeb thus won another timed test. But he made a mistake in the next one and lost some time, so Ogier moved ahead of him. In the second afternoon test, Kubica was not enough to win the test. The third test then marked the end of hopes for Citroën drivers Loeb and Meek . Loeb crashed on the ice and damaged the suspension, but he continued with a big loss. Meeke first took a 4-minute loss, but then stopped for good. Kubica crashed twice at this test, but continued in the competition. Overall, Latvala moved to second place behind Ogier, Mikkelsen , who drove excellently, was third, Tänak was fourth, and Ostberg was fifth. Evans , Neuville , Sordo and Prokop , who now had the tenth Loeb behind them, piled up behind them thanks to Citroën's falling away. The leadership in WRC2 did not change.
Unfortunately, the first rehearsal on Saturday was canceled due to the indiscipline of the spectators. The next test was dominated by Kubica , who beat Meek and Loeb . However, much of the lead of leader Ogier was cut by Latvala , who reduced his loss to one minute. The next test was won by Loeb ahead of Kubica and Latvala, who thus kept reducing the lead of leader Ogier. Meeke then won the last test on Saturday ahead of Kubica. Latvala shone again in third place. Ogier still held the overall lead, 42 seconds ahead of Latvala. In other positions were Mikkelsen , Ostberg , Sordo , Neuville , Evans , Prokop , Loeb and Meeke. In WRC2, Kočí had problems, he broke the axle and drove only on rear drive. Lefévbre thus led before Kremer and Kočí.
The first test on Sunday became the prey of Meek , even that was not enough for him to move to a better position. The order changed only after the following test, which Loeb won and thus overtook our Prokop . Kubica said goodbye to the competition, who seized both right wheels of his car, unfortunately Kočí retired definitively in the lower category. The last stage, the so-called Power stage, was again won by Meeke ahead of Loeb and Latvala . However, the standings did not change in any way, Jen Neuville overtook his teammate Sordo . The complete podium was occupied by Volkswagen in the order of Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen . They were followed by the best Citroën of Mads Ostberg , followed by the best of the Hyundais with Neuville behind the wheel. The rest of the elite ten arrived at the finish in the order of Sordo, Evans , Loeb, Prokop and Meeke . WRC2 was won by Lefévbre ahead of Breen and Kremer . The WRC3 winner was Gilbert and the fastest car in the attractive R-GT class was the Porsche of Francois Delecour .
Photo: Autosport, WRC
