Day 1 – Sébastien Loeb already takes the advantage

The Citroën C4 WRC team, just like last year, is in great shape at the beginning of the season in Monte-Carlo. On the first day, both Citroën drivers won a special stage each and are leading by more than 44 seconds over the other competitors.

Dani Sordo opened the season by winning the first stage. He had only a 4-second lead over his teammate, Sébastien Loeb, while the Ford Focus cars were already behind.

In the second special and last stage of this first day (which replaces the name Stage this season), it is Loeb who is the fastest. He is ahead of his teammate Sordo while the Focus cars are still lagging behind.

Mikko Hirvonen is more than 44 seconds behind the leader after his two stages, losing about forty seconds during SS1 in the Vercors Drômois.

Chris Atkinson seems to have improved and holds 4th position nearly a minute behind Loeb. He is well ahead of his teammate Petter Solberg at Subaru, who is in 6th place. François Duval is 5th, positioned between the two Subaru drivers. He is ahead of Solberg junior by just a few tenths.

The second Stobart car, with Gigi Galli, is 7th just ahead of the first Suzuki, which is participating in its first WRC rally, with Tony Gardemeister.

There are two French in the top 10 as the Ardéchois and French champion Jean-Marie Cuoq is in 9th place at the wheel of his 307 just ahead of Romeyer in a 206.

The Saudi, Al Qassimi in a Focus is in 11th place. He is performing well and is ahead of the second Suzuki, driven by Andersson.

Matthew Wilson is only 13th. Worse for Henning Solberg on the Stobart Expert in 15th position. Latvala is not even in the top 15 following a collision (against a rock) in stage 1 which cost him 4 minutes… He is 17th.

Monte Carlo Rally – Day 1 – Top 10