Monte Carlo WRC: Sebastien Ogier clinches victory for Volkswagen
Sebastien Ogier began his World Rally Championship title defence with a hard-fought victory in often atrocious conditions on the Monte Carlo Rally
Despite being back in ninth, 1m20s off the lead, at the end of the opening loop on Thursday morning, Ogier was able to charge back to the front by the middle of the second day.
He then pulled away, coping well with torrential rain and occasional heavy snow, to give Volkswagen its first Monte win, and to repeat his 2009 triumph on the event when it was part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.
Ogier's early deficit occurred during the changeable conditions of the first morning, when a mixture of rain, ice and surprise snow made tyre choices a nightmare.
Robert Kubica started his first top-level WRC season with M-Sport in incredible style by winning the first two stages, before falling back to fourth when he found himself on the wrong tyres for heavy snow on SS3.
The Pole remained in contention for a podium until crashing out on day two.
Bryan Bouffier, making what is expected to be a one-off outing in an M-Sport customer Ford, judged the weather and tyre dilemma perfectly and burst into the lead.
It looked like he would be able to put up a fight against Ogier until a spin on Friday let the world champion snatch first place.
Bouffier drove sensibly to claim second thereafter.
Citroen's 2014 signings Kris Meeke and Mads Ostberg were delighted to deliver third and fourth for their new employer.
Jari-Matti Latvala made a very poor start to the event and was only 19th after the first loop. He recovered strongly to take several stage wins and the power stage bonus on the way to fifth, despite a puncture on Friday.
Elfyn Evans completed his first Monte Carlo Rally, and only his second World Rally Car outing, in sixth place overall, having held his own in the top six for most of the rally.
His M-Sport team-mate Mikko Hirvonen was off the pace. He was poised to deny Evans sixth until a late alternator problem meant he ground to a halt on the final stage.
Andreas Mikkelsen also had a tough event and finished seventh. He struggled early on, then lost several minutes with a trip off the road on Friday after he had got up to sixth.
Hyundai's new i20 made a brief but promising WRC debut. Thierry Neuville crashed out on the very first stage, but his team-mate Dani Sordo was running third before a battery problem ended his rally later on day one.
Slovakian newcomer Jaroslav Melicharek took eighth overall despite forcing the penultimate stage to be abandoned when he got stuck in deep snow, blocking the course until spectators got him moving.
Super 2000 Peugeot driver Matteo Gamba and WRC2 class winner Yuriy Protasov completed the scorers.
Leading finishers after SS15: Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Sebastien Ogier VW 3h55m14.4s 2. Bryan Bouffier M-Sport Ford +1m18.9s 3. Kris Meeke Citroen +1m54.3s 4. Mads Ostberg Citroen +3m53.9s 5. Jari-Matti Latvala VW +6m08.3s 6. Elfyn Evans M-Sport Ford +8m37.4s 7. Andreas Mikkelsen VW +11m42.3s 8. Jaroslav Melicharek Slovakia Ford +21m56.2s 9. Matteo Gamba Balbosca Peugeot +23m50.7s* 10. Yuriy Protasov M-Sport Ford +25m43.1s** * S2000 car ** WRC2 WRC retirements: Mikko Hirvonen M-Sport Ford SS15 Robert Kubica M-Sport Ford SS9 Dani Sordo Hyundai SS5 Thierry Neuville Hyundai SS1 Francois Delecour M-Sport Ford SS1 Martin Prokop Czech Ford SS1 Leading power stage times: Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap 1. Jari-Matti Latvala VW 10m41.5s 2. Sebastien Ogier VW +0.2s 3. Kris Meeke Citroen +4.9s 4. Bryan Bouffier M-Sport Ford +17.9s 5. Andreas Mikkelsen VW +19.7s
Previous article
WRC Monte Carlo: Sebastien Ogier holds lead as weather worsens
Next article
Monte Carlo WRC: Hyundai should be upbeat says Thierry Neuville
About this article
| Series | WRC |
| Drivers | Sébastien Ogier |
Why the casualty of rallying's evolution should still be cherished
The WRC's support categories are in a process of streamlining that will spell the end of a formalised 2WD world championship-level category. While its relevance to the top level has been questioned for some time, that doesn't mean it should be swept quietly under the carpet
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate
What to expect from the WRC's venture to the Arctic
This week's Arctic Rally Finland will bring the World Rally Championship into new territory. And, almost without exception, the service park can't wait for the subzero challenge to commence
How Ogier achieved a fitting Monte Carlo farewell
Against pandemic-shaped odds, the World Rally Championship season opener went ahead in Monte Carlo last weekend as a familiar face again took top spot. But for an emotional Sebastien Ogier, his record-breaking eighth win meant more than most
What to look out for in the 2021 WRC
As the 2021 World Rally Championship prepares to launch amid tight COVID-19 restrictions in Monte Carlo, here are the eight things unrelated to the pandemic that you should keep an eye on this year
Evans on the talking points of WRC 2021
He came close to the title last year, and now Toyota's Elfyn Evans gives his verdict on what to expect from 2021 as the World Rally Championship prepares to reconvene for the Monte Carlo season opener
Why Britain's continued WRC absence is a wake-up call
OPINION: With Rally GB dropping off the World Rally Championship calendar for the second year in a row, one of Britain's best-attended sporting events faces an uncertain future. It's an unfortunate situation that points to troubling times ahead
