Day 1
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans made a perfect start to the 2024 World Rally Championship after setting the pace on Thursday’s stages which kicked off the Monte Carlo Rally.
Last year’s championship runner-up blitzed the pair of night stages held in dry conditions to open up a 15.1s lead over Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.
It proved to be a challenging evening for Hyundai as all three of its entries suffered issues. Ott Tanak battled a throttle problem to end the loop in fourth (+22.8s), behind nine-time Monte Carlo winner Sebastien Ogier (+21.6s) in third.
Day 2
Elfyn Evans took a slender Monte Carlo Rally lead into Saturday after witnessing his Toyota World Rally Championship team-mate Sebastien Ogier slash his advantage on Friday night.
Overnight leader Evans started the day with a 21.6s gap over nine-time Monte Carlo winner Ogier but that reduced to 4.5s at the end of stage eight.
Nine-time Monte Carlo winner Ogier won three of the day’s six stages, held on tricky dry asphalt roads featuring treacherous icy patches.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville matched Ogier in the stage win department as the Belgian enjoyed a strong day, minus a high-speed spin on stage four, to sit third, 16.1s adrift.
Returning Hyundai driver Ott Tanak continued to grow in confidence behind the wheel of the i20 N but ended the day, 1m13.6s behind. The Estonian lost 41.9s to an icy patch that briefly sent him into a ditch.
The top six was completed by M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux (+1m38.0s) and Hyundai’s new recruit Andreas Mikkelsen, who continued to adjust to the i20 N on his Rally1 debut.
Day 3
Thierry Neuville produced a stunning drive to win Saturday’s final stage and snatch the Monte Carlo Rally lead back from an equally inspired Sebastien Ogier, following an enthralling head-to-head battle.
Neuville started Saturday afternoon with the rally lead, but two stage wins from Ogier, including the Frenchman’s 700th career fastest time, gave the Toyota driver a 0.8s lead over Neuville after the day’s penultimate stage.
But Hyundai’s Neuville responded brilliantly to stun Ogier in the final test and move back into a 3.3s lead, which he will take into the final day on Sunday.
Ogier, who began the day in third, is set to score 15 points, while Friday’s rally leader Evans is poised to bank 13 points in third [+34.9s] following a frustrating day.
Hyundai’s Ott Tanak ended a Saturday interrupted by engine issues in fourth [+1m46.9s], ahead of M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux [+2m54.0s]. Andreas Mikkelsen reclaimed sixth [4m21.2s] from Gregoire Munster, who retired on stage 12. His exit also promoted Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta to seventh [+7m34.0s].
Day 4
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville remained on course to win the World Rally Championship season opener in Monte Carlo after Sebastien Ogier effectively conceded defeat in their head-to-head on Sunday.
Neuville set a blistering pace across the morning’s two stages, winning them both to extend his lead over Toyota’s Ogier to 13.5 seconds.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans remains in third overall 42s adrift, but is second in the Sunday combined times meaning he is set for six extra points. Hyundai’s Ott Tanak ended the loop fourth overall (+1m54.7s) and third for the day in front of Ogier.
M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux held onto fifth (+3m27.6s) ahead of Hyundai’s Andreas Mikkelsen (+5m29s) and Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta (+8m25.7s).
Gregoire Munster returned to the action following his crash on Saturday and was in contention to pick up two Sunday points.
In the end Neuville claimed the victory and maximum points in the process. Mastering the ice-patched mountain roads to head Toyota Gazoo Racing rival Sébastien Ogier at the finish. Elfyn Evans finished third in another Toyota GR Yaris.
Tanak took 4th with Fourmaux bringing home his M-Sport a solid 5th place. Mikkelsen, Katsuta, Rossel (WRC2), López (WRC2) & Gryazin (WRC2) rounding off the top 10 positions.
