Monte-Carlo: Ott Tanak leads the debates, Suninen on the mat

This is the image of the day, experienced live on video. While leading the special after the final intermediate, the Finn Teemu Suninen (Ford M-Sport) hit the wall at the trickiest place on the course in the last kilometer, where many riders slipped. He then went into the ravine where he uprooted a tree. The driver was unhurt, but his car was unable to restart and would surely have to abandon the race. rally according to Suninen.

Everyone else stayed on the track without any major mistakes. Estonian Ott Tanak (Hyundai), frustrated by his first season in the Korean house, showed that he was determined to get back into the title race. He won the two scratches of the day.

Behind him, a little surprise. The young Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota) was the only one to run within the world champion's time in the second special. Second in the rally at 3”3, he is in the mix to bag his first Monte-Carlo.

Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) held on with his new co-driver Wydaeghe and finished the day in fourth place, 16 seconds behind. He finds himself in the same times as the reigning champion Sébastien Ogier, who experienced brake problems in the first special.

The top five are still close in the rankings, unlike Dani Sordo. Excellent at Monza to conclude 2020, the Spaniard from Hyundai has already lost 42 seconds in two special stages.

For his first rally in the Hyundai i20 WRC, Pierre-Louis Loubet was very careful in the opening special, before letting go of the horses in second. He ranks ninth in the rally at 1’27.