Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier handed Hyundai's Thierry Neuville the Monte Carlo Rally lead after a small mistake in the final stage of the opening night of the 2025 World Rally Championship.
New-for-2025 non-hybrid powered Rally1 cars and Hankook tyres created plenty of unknowns in the event build up, but it was the familiar sight of record nine-time Monte Carlo winner Ogier topping the times that dominated the majority of Thursday night.
However, after winning the opening two nighttime tests a wild moment on stage three handed reigning world champion Neuville a two-second lead over Toyotas’s Elfyn Evans, as Ogier dropped to third [12.8s].
Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera endured a difficult opening night to sit in sixth [+43.9s] behind Hyundai duo Ott Tanak [+27.0s] and new signing Adrien Fourmaux [+30.0s]. M-Sport-Ford’s Gregoire Munster [48.2s], Toyota duo Takamoto Katsuta [+53.3] and Sami Pajairi [+2m24.4s] and Rally2 runner Nikolay Gryazin rounded out the top 10.
Ogier made the most of his extensive Monte Carlo experience to kick off the WRC season by claiming the first stage win (Digne-les-Bains/Chaudon-Norante, 19.01km).
The twisting mountain road was mostly dry with damp patches in the second half but the surface became increasingly dirty with every pass.
Starting fourth on the road, Ogier seemingly adapted the best to the conditions and the new Hankook super soft tyres to take the stage by 3.9s.
Toyota team-mate Evans had sat at the top of the timesheets before Ogier’s pass but the Welshman felt he was too cautious in the final splits.
Defending world champion Thierry Neuville was the first to tackle the stage which marked the first time he had driven in such conditions on the new Hankook rubber. The Hyundai driver ended the stage third fastest, 4.4s slower than Ogier.
“I don't know where the grip will change, it is tricky in these conditions to kick off. We will work on the car and try to understand,” said Neuville.
Neuville’s new team-mate Fourmaux was fourth but the Frenchman felt he was affected by the dirt on the road. He was faster than his Hyundai rival Tanak, who lost time throughout the stage.
Two-time world champion Rovanpera ceded 15.6s to team-mate Ogier, but the Finn wasn’t surprised by the drop in time.
"I'm not surprised, to be honest, it is starting to be quite dirty and they got to drive it last year. It was a first pass for me and in the dark it's not so easy,” said Rovanpera.
Katsuta reported a mysterious issue with his GR Yaris after clocking the seventh fastest time ahead of team-mate Pajari and M-Sport’s Munster.
Rally1 debutant Josh McErlean took a steady approach to his first competitive outing in the Puma, ending the stage 12th fastest behind leading Rally2 crews Gryazin and Rossel. McErlean ended the day in 12th spot.
There was however a drama for Oliver Solberg who slid into a rock face that damaged the left rear of his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, which required a lengthy stoppage to change a wheel.
“I didn't warm up the tyres enough before the start. There was a long flat right, the rear corner went out and I hit the mountain and broke the rim. I think something else is broken too [damper]. Not the best way to learn the tyres,” said Solberg.
Ice began to form in stage two but it was a muddy section towards the end Faucon-du-Caire/Bréziers - 21.18 km - that threatened to catch out the crews.
Once again it was Ogier who managed to tame the slippery conditions with a committed run to claim another stage win. His effort pipped Neuville, who was surprised by both the mud and the poor visibility caused by smoke from fan fireworks and flares.
“Probably spectators walked over the road many times and there was mud there. Visibility was horrible. The atmosphere is nice, but in many places, the [fan] fires are near the road and you don't see anything,” said Neuville who was 0.9s slower than Ogier.
Fourmaux showed glimpses of his pace in the i20 N on a stage he labelled as “proper Monte Carlo Rally” to clock the third fastest time, 2.1s adrift.
But the lack of grip proved a huge challenge for Tanak and Evans, who were fourth and fifth quickest as the latter dropped from second overall to third.
Munster was impressed to head a subdued Katsuta carrying “small issue” while Rovanpera struggled and could only set the ninth fastest time (+22.9s), behind team-mate Pajari.
"The times are s**t. Really hard to say [what is going wrong]. The driving at the beginning was okay, but in the mud - there's no speed,” said Rovanpera.
Ogier’s dominant start to the rally hit a stumbling block during stage three. The Toyota driver lost the rear of his GR Yaris into a left hander and somehow avoided sliding into a ditch. The car clipped a pol and was pitched into a half spin that cost him a valuable 23.5s and the rally lead.
“It is difficult of course, a lot of mud on the road, we hit a pole sideways. It's always lucky to get away with that,” said Ogier.
Evans took the stage win by 5.4s from Neuville, who inherited the rally lead from Ogier. Rovanpera managed to unlock some pace to clock the third fastest time ahead of an impressive Munster.
A cautious Fourmaux, worried by black ice, dropped 27.8s, which resulted in the Hyundai driver losing fourth overall to Tanak.
Six asphalt stages await the crews on Friday, comprising 107.34 competitive kilometres.
