Reigning champion Sebastien Ogier on Saturday grabbed the lead in the Monte Carlo Rally, as one of his main rivals, Ott Tanak, dropped out after running out of spare tires.
The Frenchman, who won four of the five stages raced on Friday, added the dawn opener to overtake overnight leader and Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans in the first event of the World Rally Championship.
In the second stage, run at 1,000m altitude, the fresh snow favored the early starters who turned the surface to slush for those behind.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Belgian Thierry Neuville took the stage in his Hyundai. His French teammate Pierre-Louis Loubet, who went first, finished second.
Loubet had not finished Friday after an accident, but was able to resume after repairs on a sleepless night during a heavy storm at the service park in Gap.
Ogier was sixth and Evans, who stalled during the stage, eighth.
“There was no grip,” Ogier said.
The Toyota pair rebounded in the day’s third and final stage, which the Welshman won with Ogier second.
“I needed that really,” Evans said. “It’s been a frustrating day, just not really being on the money. I tried to stay in the ruts and out of trouble. We’ll try and keep the pressure on.”
Ogier entered yesterday’s four stages exactly 13 seconds ahead of Evans.
“Very clean,” seven-time champion Ogier said after the last stage. “The conditions have changed a lot since the gravel crew passed.”
Another Toyota driver, young Finn Kalle Rovanpera, is third, 56.8 seconds off the lead.
Ogier suffered brake problems on Thursday and a puncture and a spin on Friday, but dominated on Saturday.
Neuville is the best from the rival teams, 1 minute, 3.8 seconds behind in fourth.
“Another tricky day, but we are constantly improving in the car,” said Neuville, who is breaking in a new codriver, Martijn Wydaeghe.
Tanak, the 2019 world champion, withdrew after two punctures on two stages.
“Unfortunately we have to retire the rally as we had two punctures and only one spare wheel,” the Estonian, who drives a Hyundai, wrote on Twitter.
He added that he would be unable to chase bonus points in yesterday’s race-ending power stage.
“No restart possible on Sunday due to event rules,” he said.
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