Ogier and new co-driver Vincent Landais clinched nine of the 18 stages in what proved to be an unusually dry WRC season opener to claim a comfortable win by 18.8s from world champions Kalle Rovanpera and Jonne Halttunen.
Competing in only a partial campaign, Ogier once again outlined his supreme knowledge of the twisty Monte Carlo roads, and was never headed throughout the four days of competition.
After winning the first five stages, Ogier established a relatively comfortable lead initially over Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans, who appeared to be the only driver able to compete with the Frenchman.
Ogier’s streak of stage wins was completed despite losing hybrid boost for two stages on Friday morning, and after a late gearbox change due to a clutch issue.
Once Evans suffered a right rear puncture in Stage 5, Ogier was gifted a lead he would extend to 36.0s before Rovanpera found his rhythm and began to whittle the advantage down.
Rovanpera managed to score four stage stage wins across Friday and Saturday to slash the deficit to 16.0s heading into Sunday’s stages, but he was unable to halt Ogier and settled for second. The Finn did however snatch the full points on the final powerstage.
The victory means Ogier has now pulled one clear of nine-time world champion Sebastian Loeb in their private battle for most Monte Carlo wins. The triumph is the first WRC victory for co-driver Landais.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville claimed the final spot on the podium, 44.6s adrift of Ogier as the South Korean marque struggled to contend with the dominant Toyota team. Toyota’s upgraded GR Yaris claimed 16 of the 18 stages, with Hyundai only breaking the drought on Saturday’s Stage 12 courtesy of Neuville, who snatched two stage victories to cement third.
The Belgian’s rally began with a lucky escape on Stage 2 when he skated into a bank after being caught out by black ice. Neuville inherited third after Evans’ puncture but he couldn’t close in on the leading Toyotas. This was largely due to a set up direction taken by the team that had expected more wintry conditions prior to the event.
Having shown arguably the best pace outside of Ogier, Evans was unable to recover the 40s lost to the puncture on Friday and finished fourth. The Welshman did boost his points tally by finishing third on the powerstage.
Ott Tanak’s first outing in the M-Sport Ford Puma resulted in the Estonian finishing fifth overall. The 2019 world champion did run as high as third after Thursday’s opening stages, but then struggled to acclimatise to the Puma’s characteristics. An intermittent power steering issue on Saturday then dropped him from fourth to fifth.
Tanak made progress in extracting speed from the car to deliver an extra four points from the powerstage after being pipped to the stage win by Rovanpera by 0.6s.
It ultimately proved to be a challenging weekend for M-Sport’s sister manufacturer entry driven by Pierre-Louis Loubet. The Frenchman was holding eighth before an off on Stage 5 which severely damaged his power steering, and without a midday service, he had to continue for three stages without steering assistance.
Loubet returned on Sunday but a water leak followed by a lack of fuel ultimately forced him out of the event.
A solid run from Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta netted the Japanese driver sixth but it wasn’t without drama on the final powerstage. A suspected rear suspension failure created late drama, but he was able to haul the GR Yaris home ahead Hyundai duo Dani Sordo and Esapekka Lappi.
The Hyundai pair struggled to find the set up sweet spot aboard their i20 Ns. Sordo suffered from persistent hybrid problems, while Lappi struggled to adapt to the new car, and was hit by a puncture on Saturday.
The WRC2 honours were claimed by Skoda driver Nikolay Gryazin, who edged Citroen’s Yohan Rossel by 4.5s.
UPDATE: Rossel has been awarded the WRC2 victory after a protest made against Gryazin was upheld by FIA stewards following a hearing.
Officials have imposed a five second penalty to Gryazin after he was found to have breached Article 19.2 of the 2023 FIA WRC Sporting Regulations during Stage 14. During the test Gryazin cut a corner at the 13.2km mark.
Gryazin had suffered a front right puncture prior to cutting the corner. As a result of the penalty, Rossel has been declared the winner with Gryazin demoted to second, 0.5s behind the Citroen driver.
Monte Carlo results:
| Cla | Driver/Codriver | Car | Class | Total Time | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Sébastien Ogier Vincent Landais
|
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 | RC1 | 3:12'02.0 | |
| 2 |
 Kalle Rovanperä Jonne Halttunen
|
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 | RC1 | 3:12'20.8 | 18.8 |
| 3 |
 Thierry Neuville Martijn Wydaeghe
|
Hyundai i20 N Rally1 | RC1 | 3:12'46.6 | 44.6 |
| 4 |
 Elfyn Evans Scott Martin
|
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 | RC1 | 3:13'14.4 | 1'12.4 |
| 5 |
 Ott Tanak Martin Jarveoja
|
Ford Puma Rally1 | RC1 | 3:14'36.9 | 2'34.9 |
| 6 |
 Takamoto Katsuta  Aaron Johnston
|
Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 | RC1 | 3:15'34.6 | 3'32.6 |
| 7 |
 Dani Sordo Candido Carrera |
Hyundai i20 N Rally1 | RC1 | 3:15'49.5 | 3'47.5 |
| 8 |
Esapekka Lappi Janne Ferm
|
Hyundai i20 N Rally1 | RC1 | 3:15'53.3 | 3'51.3 |
| 9 |
 Nikolay Gryazin Konstantin Aleksandrov
|
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | RC2 | 3:22'05.4 | 10'03.4 |
| 10 |
Yohan Rossel Arnaud Dunand |
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | 3:22'09.9 | 10'07.9 |
| 11 |
Pepe Lopez Borja Rozada |
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | RC2 | 3:23'16.1 | 11'14.1 |
| 12 |
 Erik Cais Petr Těšínský |
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | RC2 | 3:23'35.8 | 11'33.8 |
| 13 |
Adrien Fourmaux Alexandre Coria
|
Ford Fiesta Rally2 | RC2 | 3:24'01.8 | 11'59.8 |
| 14 |
 Oliver Solberg Elliott Edmondson
|
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | RC2 | 3:24'20.6 | 12'18.6 |
| 15 |
Chris Ingram Craig Drew
|
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:25'12.1 | 13'10.1 |
| 16 |
 Marco Bulacia Axel Coronado |
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | RC2 | 3:26'50.4 | 14'48.4 |
| 17 |
 Ricardo Romagnoli Louis Louka
|
Ford Fiesta Rally2 | RC2 | 3:26'54.9 | 14'52.9 |
| 18 |
Stéphane Lefebvre Andy Malfoy
|
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | 3:27'45.9 | 15'43.9 |
| 19 |
François Delecour Sabrina de Castelli |
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | RC2 | 3:28'12.6 | 16'10.6 |
| 20 |
Alejandro Cachón Alejandro López Fernández
|
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | 3:28'50.8 | 16'48.8 |
| 21 |
Matteo Gamba Nicolò Gonella |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:31'59.2 | 19'57.2 |
| 22 |
Mauro Miele Luca Beltrame |
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | RC2 | 3:32'46.6 | 20'44.6 |
| 23 |
Bruno Riberi Florian Haut-Labourdette |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:35'43.4 | 23'41.4 |
| 24 |
 Jourdan Serderidis Frédéric Miclotte |
Ford Puma Rally1 | RC1 | 3:38'52.2 | 26'50.2 |
| 25 |
 Christian Merli Marco Zortea |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:39'02.7 | 27'00.7 |
| 26 |
Alessandro Gino Daniele Michi |
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | 3:40'04.0 | 28'02.0 |
| 27 |
Johannes Keferbock Ilka Minor |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:40'24.0 | 28'22.0 |
| 28 |
Philippe Baffoun Charlyne Quartini |
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | 3:41'50.0 | 29'48.0 |
| 29 |
Luc Pistachi Laëtitia Authier |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:42'42.1 | 30'40.1 |
| 30 |
Loïc Panagiotis Caroline Goddi |
Alpine A110 Rally RGT | RGT | 3:44'32.0 | 32'30.0 |
| 31 |
Romain Haut-Labourdette Fabien Tardito |
Škoda Fabia R5 | RC2 | 3:45'28.4 | 33'26.4 |
| 32 |
Mickaël Prévalet Jofrey Courtet |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 3:46'11.2 | 34'09.2 |
| 33 |
Lorenzo Bontempelli Giovanni Pina |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:47'24.3 | 35'22.3 |
| 34 |
Jean-Charles Albertini Patrick Chiappe
|
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:48'35.8 | 36'33.8 |
| 35 |
Simone Niboli Battista Brunetti |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:49'02.6 | 37'00.6 |
| 36 |
Ghjuvanni Rossi Maxime Martini |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 3:49'53.8 | 37'51.8 |
| 37 |
Zoltán László  Gabor Zsiros
|
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:50'13.6 | 38'11.6 |
| 38 |
David Ferraro Michel Corneglio |
Alpine A110 Rally RGT | RGT | 3:52'03.7 | 40'01.7 |
| 39 |
Eric Royere Gilbert Dini
|
Alpine A110 Rally RGT | RGT | 3:52'03.7 | 40'01.7 |
| 40 |
Yanis Desangles Nicolas Theron |
Škoda Fabia R5 | RC2 | 3:53'17.6 | 41'15.6 |
| 41 |
Silvano Patera Stefano Tiraboschi |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 3:54'19.8 | 42'17.8 |
| 42 |
Massimiliano Pedala Denis Piceno |
Opel Corsa Rally4 | RC4 | 3:55'24.2 | 43'22.2 |
| 43 |
Wolfgang Irlacher Elke Irlacher |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 3:55'32.2 | 43'30.2 |
| 44 |
Matteo Fontana Alessandro Arnaboldi |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 3:55'44.3 | 43'42.3 |
| 45 |
William Creighton Liam Regan |
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | RC2 | 3:57'18.0 | 45'16.0 |
| 46 |
Nicolas Ressegaire Marina Micheli |
Renault Clio Rally5 | RC5 | 4:00'14.8 | 48'12.8 |
| 47 |
Jérémy Prat Yves Semete |
Renault Clio Rally5 | RC5 | 4:00'42.6 | 48'40.6 |
| 48 |
Filippo Marchino Pietro Elia |
Škoda Fabia R5 | RC2 | 4:01'58.4 | 49'56.4 |
| 49 |
Jérôme Aymard Sandrine Aymard |
Renault Clio RS R3T | RC4 | 4:07'08.3 | 55'06.3 |
| 50 |
Julien Charnay Maxime Gomez |
Renault Clio Rally5 | RC5 | 4:07'34.1 | 55'32.1 |
| 51 |
Baudouin Baugé Nicolas Blanc |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 4:08'52.8 | 56'50.8 |
| 52 |
Fabrizio Arengi Massimiliano Bosi |
Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo | RC2 | 4:09'30.5 | 57'28.5 |
| 53 |
Sebastiano Ciato Andrea Budoia |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 4:09'30.7 | 57'28.7 |
| 54 |
Gilles Michellier Christophe Richard |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 4:09'34.9 | 57'32.9 |
| 55 |
Lilian Vialle Manuel Ghirardello |
Renault Clio Rally5 | RC5 | 4:10'40.0 | 58'38.0 |
| 56 |
 Henk Vossen Annemieke Hulzebos |
Ford Fiesta R5 | RC2 | 4:14'05.8 | 1:02'03.8 |
| 57 |
Josh McErlean John Rowan |
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | RC2 | 4:15'45.1 | 1:03'43.1 |
| 58 |
Christophe Berard Christophe Bernabo
|
Renault Clio Rally5 | RC5 | 4:17'33.2 | 1:05'31.2 |
| 59 |
 Olivier Burri Anderson Levratti
|
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | RC2 | 4:23'05.9 | 1:11'03.9 |
| 60 |
Pierre Tanci Sébastien Malet |
Škoda Fabia R5 | RC2 | 4:32'41.3 | 1:20'39.3 |
| 61 |
Daniel Alonso Adrián Pérez |
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | 4:34'35.1 | 1:22'33.1 |
| 62 |
Jean-Paul Palmero Mattia Pastorino |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 4:36'27.2 | 1:24'25.2 |
| 63 |
Jérémie Mallard Alexis Marest-Ceccaldi |
Ford Fiesta R2T | RC4 | 4:39'24.7 | 1:27'22.7 |
| 64 |
Grégory Fontalba Stéphan Hermet |
Alpine A110 Rally RGT | RGT | 4:42'35.0 | 1:30'33.0 |
| 65 |
Giorgio Marazzato Elisa Sommariva |
Peugeot 208 R2 | RC4 | 4:44'25.0 | 1:32'23.0 |
| 66 |
Marc Dessi Pamela Dessi |
Renault Clio Rally5 | RC5 | 4:53'24.6 | 1:41'22.6 |
| 67 |
Grégory Dal Hervé Dubreuil |
Peugeot 208 Rally4 | RC4 | 5:04'30.7 | 1:52'28.7 |
|
Pierre-Louis Loubet Nicolas Gilsoul
|
Ford Puma Rally1 | RC1 | |||
|
Frédéric Rosati Philippe Marchetto |
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 | RC2 | |||
 Sean Johnston Alexander Kihurani |
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | |||
|
Eamonn Boland Michael Joseph Morrissey
|
Citroën C3 Rally2 | RC2 | |||
|
Richard Frau Stéphane Marquez |
Alpine A110 Rally RGT | RGT | |||
|
Jonathan Hirschi Michael Volluz
|
Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | RC2 | |||
|
Pierre Pergola Fabrice Corona |
Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | RC2 | |||
|
Sami Pajari Enni Mälkönen |
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 | RC2 | |||
| View full results | |||||
