Sebastien Ogier won Monte Carlo Rallye for the fourth time but the biggest thing is that M-Sport finally won WRC event for the first time after 2012 season.
Ogier
I must admit that this was very interesting rally for the first time in years. VW domination with best driver in Ogier ruined sport just as Citroen did with another Sebastien.
Every year Monte Carlo Rallye is the best rally of the season because it's opening event, very unpredictable (because of snow, black ice and wet tarmac), many crews want to start there, etc.
It started bad in SS1 as spectator died in a accident when Hyundai's H. Paddon when off the road directly into the specator. Late night stages are always difficoult but not for T. Neuville (Hyundai) who led the first night in front of Ogier (M-Sport). Neuville led the rally until Saturday afternoon when he broke suspension hitting the stone beside the road.
At that moment it was music over: everybody knew Ogier will win it.
The most problematic fight was for 2nd place because it was 1-2 for M-Sport (Tanak was in strong 2nd place 45 seconds behind Ogier) but then started engine problems for Ott Tanak (M-Sport Fiesta WRC). Car first run on 2 cylinders and last stages (Power Stage) was on 3 cylinders.
Tanak
He was losing time uphill very much but downhill he was tremendous and finished on final step of podium behind Latvala in a new Toyota Yaris WRC.
Latvala
Sordo finished fourth as a best placed Hyundai.
Craig Breen finished 5th in 2016 Citroen DS 3.
Elfyn Evans was the only driver in top category on DMACK tyres and finished 6th, also scoring some fastest times on Saturday.
Two Škoda works R5 drivers: Mikkelsen and Kopecky finished 7th and 8th as they were two best WRC2 drivers.
Mikkelesen
Kopecky
Works Citroen driver Lefebvre finishe 9th in a new C3 WRC.
Last spot in top 10 finish was for another R5 driver, B. Bouffier, in Ford Fiesta R5.
Bouffier
Results:
1 S. Ogier Ford
2 J-M Latvala Toyota +2m15.0s
3 O. Tanak Ford +2m57.8s
4 D. Sordo Hyundai +3m35.8s
5 C. Breen Citroen +3m47.8s
6 E. Evans Ford +6m45.0s
7 A. Mikkelsen Skoda R5 +9m32.7s
8 J. Kopecky Skoda R5 +12m58.1s
9 S. Lefebvre Citroen +14m43.8s
10 B. Bouffier Ford R5 +16m09.4s
CREDIT FOR PHOTOS TO MR SIGNED ON PHOTOS