Monte-Carlo 2023 – Sébastien Ogier in the mix for Shakedown

It's only the Shakedown but the results of this one could perhaps resemble the final standings of this Rally Monte-Carlo 2023. Big favorites for victory, Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä have ideally started their Monaco weekend.

On the 2,29 kilometer section of this Shakedown between Sainte-Agnès and Peille in the Alpes-Maritimes, the eight-time world champion was the fastest man of the morning. With three passes on the clock, Sébastien Ogier “got the best” of his counterparts with a best time of 1’44”6 recorded during his final attempt. Brought to take over in the ranks, if he has not already done so, Kalle Rovanperä finished just behind his teammate with barely 0 behind. Enough to hope for a great battle throughout the weekend.

Shakedown complete with @SebOgier top of the times! ⏱️

1⃣ 🇫🇷 @SebOgier 1m44.6s
2⃣ 🇫🇮 @KalleRovanpera + 0.3s
3 Neuville + 0.4s
4⃣ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @ElfynEvans + 0.5s
5 Sordo +0.9s#ToyotaGAZOORacing #GRYaris #WRC #RallyMonteCarlo ???????? pic.twitter.com/XCPBNWveYM

— TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT (@TGR_WRC) January 19, 2023

Neuville in the game, Tänak smoothly

Du côté des autres constructeurs, Thierry Neuville a été le meilleur représentant d’Hyundai. À nouveau seul homme fort de la marque sud-coréenne, le Belge s’est emparé du 3^e time only 4 tenths from Sébastien Ogier's reference. Elfyn Evans and Dani Sordo completed the Top 5.

Back home M-Sport, Ott Tänak was a little more discreet. Constantly progressing during his passages, the Estonian finished this first part of the day at 7^e place, sandwiched between Pierre-Louis Loubet and Esapekka Lappi and 1” from the lead.

The Monte-Carlo Rally will resume this Thursday evening with SS1 at 20:05 p.m. which you can follow in live text with AUTOhebdo.

The complete ranking

ALSO READ > Route, timetables… The guide to the 2023 Monte-Carlo Rally