Relive the third day of the Monte Carlo Rally with live text updates

Will Oliver Solberg be able to continue leading the Rally Monte Carlo, after two flawless opening days? The Swede starts Saturday with more than a minute's lead over his teammate Elfyn Evans, but the tricky conditions of Saturday's stages could still reshuffle the cards…

The program of the day 

08:31 PM. – SS10: La Bréole / Bellaffaires 1 – 29,93 km – Sébastien Ogier
09:55 PM. – SS11: Vaumeilh / Claret 2 – 15,05 km – Oliver solberg
12:31 PM. – SS12: La Bréole / Bellaffaires 2 – 29,93 km – Oliver solberg
18:35 PM. – SS13: Monaco Circuit – 2,69 km – Adrien fourmaux

WRC – Rally Monte-Carlo
Relive the third day with live commentary

19h44 - Thank you for following us this Saturday, we'll see you tomorrow morning from 8:05 am to experience the last four special stages, with two passes through the legendary Col du Turini… in the snow, no doubt!

19h28 - And the provisional overall standings before the last four stages:

19h28 - The provisional classification of SS13:

19:26 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Oliver Solberg: "My first donut was a disaster! It's raining so much that it's difficult, and I didn't want to mess it up after such a great weekend so far. It's been a fantastic weekend, very tricky as you can see, but we're in a good position. Tomorrow will surely be another crazy day."

19:26 – SS13: Oliver Solverg finishes 10,9 seconds behind Adrien fourmaux, who therefore wins the special stage! Solberg now has a 59,3 second lead over Elfyn Evans in the overall standings.

19:24 – SS13: Oliver Solberg is off, also on snow tires!

19:23 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Elfyn Evans: « It was really bad, even going slowly wasn't enough! We'll see how it goes tomorrow, but I don't think it will be easy.

19:22 – SS13: The special stage has ended for Elfyn Evans, who loses 5,5 seconds to Adrien Fourmaux.

19:21 – SS13: Evans also had a lot of trouble getting through the donut; it would seem that the slick tires were the right choice!

19:20 – SS13: Elfyn Evans sets off, he is the second to last of the Rally1 cars to start, also on snow tires.

19:18 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Sébastien Ogier : "I didn't put on a show, I think we all look ridiculous here, but that's how it is! We can expect a lot more snow tomorrow, I can't say I'm looking forward to it with these tires."

19:18 – SS13: The rain continued to fall harder and harder, and Sébastien Ogier was a victim of it, finishing 4,9 seconds behind Fourmaux.

19:15 – SS13: Sébastien Ogier has decided to start on snow tires, let's see if the third-placed driver in the overall standings can go for the best time!

19:14 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Adrien Fourmaux: "It was tricky, but the tires seem to be working reasonably well. This weekend, we're not in the same league as the..." Toyota"I'm very happy that we have difficult conditions at Monte Carlo because it's important for the rally; we can improve things overall, but it's good to finish with a super special stage here."

19:14 – SS13: Best time for Adrien Fourmaux, despite a small mistake on the second donut! The Northerner takes the lead by seven tenths.

19:11 – SS13: Adrien Fourmaux also starts with four supersoft tires.

19:10 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Thierry Neuville : "The rain really came at the worst possible time for us, we were on slicks! There's a bit of standing water in some places, which made things difficult. I'm glad the day is over, it wasn't easy. We're focusing on tomorrow now, it will also be a difficult day."

19:10 – SS13: Neuville takes it slower on the second pass, and finishes 3,7 seconds behind Katsuta.

19:09 – SS13: Unsurprisingly, the Belgian lost control on his first donut, which turned into a 720°!

19:08 – SS13: 2024 world champion Thierry Neuville sets off, with four supersoft slicks.

19:06 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Jon Armstrong: "It was interesting, let's say! The cobblestones for the donut are an interesting choice because it's impossible with slicks. I made a mistake with the tires, but it's not easy; if it were, we'd never make a mistake!"

19:06 – SS13: A good run for Jon Armstrong who nevertheless makes a slight mistake on the second donut, and he loses eight seconds to Katsuta as the rain intensifies.

19:04 – SS13: Jon Armstrong, who finished a solid sixth overall in his first Monte Carlo, is now starting his race.

19:03 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Grégoire Munster: "It was slippery. I wasn't really lucky; I should have crossed my tires the other way, but that's how it goes. I felt like I was figure skating."

19:02 – SS13: Grégoire Munster is 14,7 seconds behind Katsuta.

19:01 – SS13: A small mistake for Munster on the donut, he stalled his Puma before setting off again.

19:00 – SS13: Grégoire Munster is next to start; six Rally1 cars will follow him. The Luxembourger has also swapped his tires like Katsuta, but has opted for the supersoft instead of the soft for his slicks.

18:58 – SS13: 💬 Takamoto Katsuta: "It was very slippery in many places, I wasn't confident but I tried to be as clean as possible."

18:58 – SS13: A much better run for Katsuta than for his opponents; the Japanese skier finished 5,5 seconds faster than the New Zealander from [company name missing]. Hyundai.

18:56 – SS13: Takamoto Katsuta then took off, also on snow tires, but only on the front right and rear left, while he was on soft tires on the other two wheels!

18:54 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Hayden Paddon: "Honestly, it's not a great rally for me, but driving a Rally1 through the streets of Monaco... you have to smile because it's a fantastic opportunity!"

18:54 – SS13: Paddon narrowly takes the fastest time, with a six-tenths lead.

18:51 – SS13: Hayden Paddon sets off, and he has opted for snow tires, which could give him an advantage on the cobblestones.

18:50 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Josh McErlean: "Spinning out on the cobblestones with slick tires isn't great! But it was cool to drive on such an iconic circuit at night, but I could have done a better job!"

18:50 – SS13: The Irishman had a terrible time in the donut, which is on cobblestones, and he finished five seconds slower than Léo Rossel!

18:47 – SS13: The Rally1 cars then took to the road, with Josh McErlean being the first to enter the special stage in his Ford Puma.

18:46 – SS13: 💬 Léo Rossel: “The feeling is so good! The stage is really slippery, on the donuts it feels like there’s black ice, in Monaco it’s terrible! Sunday will be a long day, I’m going to concentrate on my driving and we’ll see. I don’t know what the conditions will be like on the Turini, it’s always tricky. I’m happy with my rally so far, everything is going well, my car is perfect in these conditions.”

18:46 – SS13: No problem for the French driver who finishes despite some minor difficulties on the second donut, but he sets the best time in WRC2 with a two-tenths lead!

18:44 – SS13: Now it's the turn of WRC2 leader Léo Rossel to start. The Citroën driver has a lead of over a minute and is currently seventh in the overall standings.

18:43 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Roberto Daprà: « It's incredible! It's one of the best experiences of my life, what more can I say? It's crazy to drive on a historic circuit like Monaco, and I'm very happy to have gained five seconds on Camilli; that's important for tomorrow.

18:42 – SS13: Five seconds better for Daprà against Camilli!

18:40 – SS13: Roberto Daprà is now underway, having set a superb time on SS12, with the fourth fastest time overall!

18:39 p.m. – SS13: 💬 Eric Camilli: "It's great for the show to bring the rally into the city, it's very important. The special stage is very tricky, very slippery because of the road markings, but everything's fine! We'll see tomorrow."

18:38 – SS13: 2:31.4 for the Skoda driver over the two laps of the course, with two donuts at the Swimming Pool to delight the fans!

18:35 p.m. – SS13: 🟢 Eric Camilli is off!

18h35 - This time, it is the WRC2 cars of Éric Camilli, Roberto Daprà and Léo Rossel that will start the list of starters.

18h33 - While snow caused some disruption this morning, rain has now arrived at the Port of Monaco. The special stage will start at the Rascasse hairpin before heading down the circuit's starting straight. F1, then return via the tobacconist's shop, and the chicanes of the swimming pool.

18h31 - After this morning's eventful special stages, especially SS12, don't think that the super special stage is just a formality; we've seen rallies turn on their head in the past on these sections of just over two kilometers…

18h28 - Welcome back to AUTOhebdo.fr to follow the last special stage of the day at the Monte Carlo Rally, the crews will now tackle the Monaco circuit, in the streets of the Principality, for a super night special stage!

13h34 - Thank you for following us this morning and early afternoon! We'll see you again at 18:35 PM for SS13 on the Monaco circuit, to conclude this action-packed Saturday!

13:27 – SS12: Superb performance from Roberto Daprà in WRC2, the Italian takes fourth place overall!

13h22 - In the overall standings, Oliver Solberg increases his lead:

13h22 - The provisional classification of SS12:

13:19 – SS12: 💥 Gryazin, who had the pace to take the lead in the WRC2 rally, went off into a ditch!

13:18 – SS12: Léo Rossel is the first to finish in WRC2, with the sixth fastest time overall! Nikolay Gryazin's performance will be closely watched, as the Bulgarian is second in the overall standings.

13:15 p.m. – SS12: 💬 Oliver Solberg: “I don’t know what happened, I was being so careful throughout the entire stage. Coming out of a corner, there was snow everywhere and I didn’t know it, I was really lucky. I could have slowed down even more when I see that I won the stage by almost two seconds!”

13:15 – SS12: An astounding performance from Solberg, who nevertheless wins the special stage with a 1,9 second lead over Elfyn Evans!

13:14 – SS12: 💬 Elfyn Evans: « "It's incredible, truly incredible. You get the feeling the conditions are improving, and then suddenly the car loses all grip and there's nothing you can do."

13:13 PM – SS12: 💥 OLIVER SOLBERG MISTAKES! The rally leader goes off the road, but fortunately he is able to get back on track after making a U-turn in a field.

13:13 – SS12: The times continue to improve, Elfyn Evans takes the lead with a 16,3 second advantage over Ogier.

13:12 – SS12: Best time for Sébastien Ogier, but the world champion admits he slowed down: "I eased off the gas; I didn't want to push hard in these conditions, it's really impossible to drive."

13:12 p.m. – SS12: 💬 Adrien Fourmaux: « The conditions are terrible. We could have had some fun this morning, but now… there's mud absolutely everywhere, the tire isn't clearing anything, I spun out, I got stuck. I just want to tell the spectators to be very careful about where you stand, because I was afraid I might hit some of them when I went off the track. Stay safe.

13:10 p.m. – SS12: 💬 Hayden Paddon: "It's very tricky for everyone, but this car is very difficult to drive in these conditions. It's my fault, I have to get used to it, we didn't have any pace notes from the pace notes, it's embarrassing to go off at that point, but we made it to the finish, that's what matters."

13:09 – SS12: Best time for Adrien Fourmaux with a 10,9 second lead, while Hayden Paddon logically lost more than five minutes.

13:08 p.m. – SS12: 💬 Thierry Neuville: “I was a passenger from beginning to end! I had absolutely no control, I must have told Martijn that about ten times. Even though I wasn’t going fast, as soon as we hit mud or ice, the car would spin out. I took my time getting going again after a spin; a lot can happen.”

13:08 – SS12: Second fastest time for Thierry Neuville, 9,9 seconds behind Grégoire Munster.

13:07 p.m. – SS12: 💬 Jon Armstrong: "It was even more difficult than the first run because of all the mud. When the car starts to aquaplane, you're kind of like a passenger. I don't know if we can improve the setup or if we just have to live with it. I didn't have the confidence to push."

13:06 – SS12: At kilometer 20, Elfyn Evans has a 12-second lead over Sébastien Ogier, a very good special stage for the Welshman, while Oliver Solberg seems to be going even faster.

13:06 – SS12: Jon Armstrong finishes, conceding 19,9 seconds to Grégoire Munster.

13:04 – SS12: Even though conditions are improving, the special stage remains very tricky; Adrien Fourmaux and Thierry Neuville each had a small spin, but were able to get going again.

13:03 p.m. – SS12: 💬 Grégoire Munster: « I lost ten seconds spinning out; the differential just doesn't know what to do because the road conditions are constantly changing. It's really tricky; I love Monte Carlo, but this is maybe a bit too much!

13:02 – SS12: Grégoire Munster finishes 47,4 seconds ahead of Katsuta!

13:01 p.m. – SS12: 💬 Takamoto Katsuta: "The conditions are more difficult, it's really tricky with these tires, we have no grip. I didn't do a great job, and we had to finish with the pace notes over the phone because we didn't have all the mileage from the course openers."

13:00 – SS12: Takamoto Katsuta takes the best time with a 34,4 second lead, while his co-driver Aaron Johnston had to finish the special stage reading the notes on his smartphone, as the changes sent by the course openers were so late!

12:58 – SS12: 💬 Josh McErlean: "It was madness, really. Our pace car was the last one on track, we were trying to get information, but with the mud it's so difficult, we can't get it out, and so the car understeers, oversteers, it's really difficult."

12:57 – SS12: First driver to arrive, Josh McErlean finishes in 25:16.2, nearly three minutes faster than his time this morning.

12:52 – SS12: Sébastien Ogier is also competing; will the Frenchman take advantage of these very particular conditions to catch up with Evans and Solberg?

12:50 – SS12: Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux also took part in the special stage; the Northerner was slightly surprised but lost very little time.

12:47 – SS12: The Hyundai crew managed to get back on the road, Paddon will be able to leave!

12:45 p.m. – SS12: 💥 Hayden Paddon makes a mistake too! The New Zealander went off the track at low speed, but he slid into a ditch, from which he struggled to get back up despite the help of the spectators.

12:43 p.m. – SS12: 💥 Grégoire Munster's turn to make a mistake! The driver M-Sport Ford hits a snowbank with its front bumper as it pulls away. But unlike Pajara, it is able to continue on the track.

12:42 – SS12: It was Grégoire Munster and Hayden Paddon's turn to tackle this timed section, made very tricky by the melting snow in the early afternoon.

12:38 – SS12: As expected, when Katsuta enters the special stage, it is the mud that can trap the competitors, rather than the ice.

12:37 p.m. – SS12: 💥 Sami Pajari gets caught out after only three minutes of the special stage! He went off the road, into the snow, before hitting a tree in slow motion.

12:35 – SS12: All the crews, however, opted for studded tires: five for Ogier, Neuville, Munster, Paddon, Evans, McErlean, and Armstrong. Pajari, Fourmaux, Katsuta, and rally leader Oliver Solberg chose to start with six tires.

12:34 – SS12: It is now 4°C in the special stage, which has melted a good part of the ice and snow, revealing the tarmac in some places, but in others, a lot of mud…

12:33 p.m. – SS12: 🟢 It's time for Josh McErlean, followed by Sami Pajari!

12h25 - We're back to experience the twelfth special stage of this Monte Carlo Rally, another run through the longest special stage, La Bréole / Bellaffaire!

10h55 - Return via the Service Park for the various crews, we meet again at 12:31 to experience the second pass through the La Bréole /Bellaffaire special stage, in conditions certainly very different from those of this morning!

10h54 - The provisional overall standings after SS11, and after the first WRC2 competitors have passed through. Léo Rossel still leads the category, but with less than eleven seconds' advantage over Nikolay Gryazin:

10h45 - The provisional standings for this eleventh special stage, won by Oliver Solberg:

10:43 – SS11: 💬 Oliver Solberg: “When the studs work, it’s easier! I hadn’t prepared my studs properly this morning and it would have been too risky to push too hard. I was more comfortable and the stage was a little bit easier, so it’s all good. I had no grip on the previous stage, but here it was a bit better despite the mud; it wasn’t that easy, you have to keep your eyes wide open!”

10:43 – SS11: Rally leader Oliver Solberg stuns the competition, 11,4 seconds ahead of Evans, and thus regains a lead of over a minute in the overall standings!

10:41 p.m. – SS11: 💬 Elfyn Evans: "It was very, very difficult. At the beginning, we arrived on ice and snow, which isn't great to begin with, but then it was mud and it was a lottery. In the notes, we were told that the whole end was icy, but in fact it had improved considerably."

10:41 – SS11: Elfyn Evans finishes 6,5 seconds ahead and takes the best time!

10:39 – SS11: 💬 Sébastien Ogier: "There were a lot of changes in grip, and the pace notes from the course openers were quite cautious. We didn't take advantage of the improved road surface, and we were simply too slow."

10:39 – SS11: Third fastest time at the finish for Sébastien Ogier, who concedes eight tenths to Fourmaux.

10:37 p.m. – SS11: 💬  Adrien Fourmaux: "The conditions are very tricky because there's tarmac, mud, ice; it's very difficult to read what the road is doing. The conditions are really like Monte Carlo conditions. It almost feels more like being in Sweden, especially on the first special stage where all the trees were white!"

10:37 – SS11: Best provisional time for Adrien Fourmaux, the Northerner beats Takamoto Katsuta by two tenths of a second!

10:36 – SS11: 💬 Thierry Neuville: « I didn't feel that bad, but there's a lot of ice in the notes, and when you arrive at the scene you wonder if that's still the case or not.

10:35 – SS11: Thierry Neuville finishes 7,4 seconds behind Takamoto Katsuta, who currently retains the best time.

10:35 p.m. – SS11: 💬 Jon Armstrong: “I didn’t have confidence on the previous stage either, but we adjusted the dampers a bit and it went much better on this one. It’s the first time I’ve been able to push, attack, and feel comfortable with the car.”

10:34 – SS11: Second fastest time for Jon Armstrong, 2,3 seconds behind Katsuta.

10:33 p.m. – SS11: 💬 Hayden Paddon: « It's getting harder and harder because I know I have to finish, so the margin for error is extremely small. We really can't afford to make a single mistake, and that makes it difficult to find the right rhythm. My co-driver would probably be faster!

10:31 – SS11: Hayden Paddon finished 19,3 seconds behind with the Hyundai.

10:31 – SS11:  💬 Grégoire Munster: "It's definitely better with power steering! It's tricky, but conditions are really improving, less black ice in the last hairpin bends. It's mainly the central part of the special stage that's the most difficult."

10:29 – SS11: Second fastest time at the finish for Grégoire Munster, 18,2 seconds behind Katsuta.

10:28 p.m. – SS11: 💬 Takamoto Katsuta: « I feel good, the conditions are unfortunately improving! So it's not easy to compare times, but I really want to keep going like this.

10:27 – SS11: Takamoto Katsuta finished 25,4 seconds ahead; the Japanese rider is on fire this morning!

10:27 p.m. – SS11: 💬 Sami Pajari: "Conditions will vary considerably in some areas. Sometimes it makes things muddier and more difficult, but sometimes it really clears the road, so it's not easy to know what to expect."

10:25 – SS11: Sami Pajari crossed the finish line, the Finn was one second slower than McErlean.

10:25 p.m. – SS11: 💬 Josh McErlean: "It's strange in terms of grip; you can see the tracks you can ride on, but it's very icy. It's not easy to see the asphalt tracks and not be able to trust them. What a day!"

10:24 – SS11: 12:39.6 for McErlean, the first to finish this special stage.

10:20 – SS11: Josh McErlean had a close call on a right-hand corner, but the Irishman escaped without touching anything!

10:15 – SS11: Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta are also competing in this eleventh special stage of the rally, which is roughly half the length of the first stage of the day. The drivers will then return to the service park.

10:12 – SS11: It is currently 1°C in this eleventh special stage; although the tarmac is much more visible, the special stage remains particularly treacherous.

10:10 p.m. – SS11: 🟢 Josh McErlean is off, the only driver with only one spare tire, all the others start with six studded tires.

10:09 – SS11: Conditions are better on the Vaumeilh / Claret stage, but there is a lot of ice, especially at the beginning and end of the stage, the spectacle could be back again!

10h07 - As the WRC2 cars continue through the tenth special stage, Yohan Rossel sets the sixth fastest time in the special stage standings with the Lancia!

9h58 - Unsurprisingly, the eleventh special stage of the rally is also delayed, just like the one that opened the day. The first cars are expected to start around 10:10 am.

9h45 - Nikolay Gryazin gains 26 seconds on Léo Rossel in WRC2, the Lancia moves closer to the overall leadership of the category.

9h37 - And the point to the general:

9h37 - The ranking of this tenth special:

9:36 – SS10: 💬 Oliver Solberg: "I didn't prepare my studs very well, and that meant I didn't have any grip. It's so easy to make a mistake and lose the rally in half a second, so I didn't take any risks."

9:34 – SS10: Oliver Solberg arrives, conceding 20,5 seconds to Sébastien Ogier, he is now 51,4 seconds ahead of Evans and 54,4 ahead of Ogier in the general classification.

9:33 – SS10: 💬 Elfyn Evans: « I'm relieved; I didn't know if I was fast or not. I felt so slow on the special stage, but it seems to be the case for everyone!

9:32 – SS10: Elfyn Evans loses 3,5 seconds to Ogier at the finish, but he retains second place in the overall standings!

9:31 p.m. – SS10: 💬 Sébastien Ogier: « It was a tricky stage, with no grip, I'm glad to have reached the finish. Victory is too far away, but we have to do our best to fight for the podium, at least.

9:30 – SS10: Best time for Sébastien Ogier at the finish, 13,3 seconds ahead of Katsuta.

9:30 p.m. – SS10: 💬 Adrien Fourmaux: "I'm quite happy with my stage; the time wasn't easy to beat because there were sections with a lot of grip since we were on tarmac, but in others the black ice was polished, so it was more difficult. I'm happy with the feeling, though."

9:29 – SS10: The special stage has ended for Adrien Fourmaux, who is 20 seconds behind Takamoto Katsuta.

9:29 – SS10: 💬 Thierry Neuville: "It was 27 minutes of pure stress! We just had to survive. It's the opposite of reconnaissance, clearly. The most difficult thing is that the corners change so much; you can usually carry a lot of speed, but here you have to slow them down considerably, and the corner angle suffers as a result. You really have to adjust the pace notes."

9:27 p.m. – SS10: 💬 Jon Armstrong: “In a slow right-hand bend, four or five kilometers from the finish, I hit a bridge. I was very careful with the damage and I had a lot of trouble braking. I had no grip at all during the entire stage.”

9:27 – SS10: Thierry Neuville crossed the finish line eight seconds behind Katsuta.

9:26 AM – ES10: 🛞 Jon Armstrong's race ends with a front-right puncture after hitting a bridge. The Irishman is 1:26 behind.

9:25 p.m. – SS10: 💬 Hayden Paddon: "I've never seen conditions like this! I have no idea what to do; I tried to avoid slipping as much as possible, but it clearly wasn't the right strategy."

9:25 – SS10: The battle rages between Ogier and Evans, the Welshman takes the lead by two tenths after 20 kilometers.

9:24 – SS10: Hayden Paddon finishes with a clean stage, but more importantly 1:39.7 behind Katsuta.

9:22 – SS10: 💬 Grégoire Munster: “I hit a wall of snow at the start of the stage and it ruined my confidence. It’s very difficult, but we’re here so that’s the main thing. The conditions are sometimes worse because we end up with slush, but it can dry out and improve afterwards.”

9:21 – SS10: Grégoire Munster finished 49,8 seconds behind schedule. The M-Sport Ford driver is coming off his first Dakar Rally, so it goes without saying that the weather conditions are very different!

9:20 – SS10: 💬 Takamoto Katsuta: « It's easier with power steering! Thanks to the whole team who did the repairs. The stage is improving because there's more and more tarmac, but the goal was to have fun and stay on the road.

9:19 – SS10: 💬 Sami Pajari: "It's a real Monte Carlo, with snow and ice; I really wanted to stay clean throughout the special stage, and I did."

9:18 – SS10: Takamoto Katsuta finished with the best time, 24,1 seconds ahead.

9:17 – SS10: Sami Pajari finishes, 43,3 seconds slower than McErlean, the Finn clearly took no risks.

9:16 p.m. – SS10: 💬 Josh McErlean: "You can't help but laugh! It's fun to drive in these conditions, but there's no grip, and you have to avoid going into the snow because you can get caught out. The last seven kilometers are completely icy, it's absolutely crazy. 28 minutes of special stage, it's insane!"

9:15 – SS10: 28:05.2 for Josh McErlean who sets the first benchmark time on this tenth timed section of the rally.

9:13 – SS10: Josh McErlean is in the final kilometer of this special stage, the longest of the rally!

9:12 – SS10: Rally leader Solberg has already lost 11 seconds in the first five kilometers; the Swede is choosing caution, unsurprisingly, and has a one-minute lead over Evans in the overall standings!

9:09 – SS10: With Oliver Solberg in the special stage, all the Rally1 cars are currently on track!

9:08 – SS10: Sébastien Ogier is eight tenths of a second behind Fourmaux at the intermediate time of 5,5km, the same time as Thierry Neuville.

9:06 – SS10: Adrien Fourmaux sets the provisional best time after 5,5 kilometers.

9:05 – SS10: Ten-time winner Sébastien Ogier sets off! The world champion is 1:14 behind his teammate Oliver Solberg, but more importantly, he is six seconds behind Elfyn Evans, currently second.

9:03 – SS10: Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux are also in the special stage, all that remains is to wait for the leading trio from Toyota!

8:59 – SS10: Sixth in the general classification, Jon Armstrong sets off; for the Irishman, the start was particularly difficult; it took him three or four seconds before he really got going!

8:57 – SS10: The first Hyundai sets off, that of Hayden Paddon. The New Zealander has six studded tires, a strategy followed by all the Rally1 cars except Josh McErlean, who has opted for only one spare tire, and therefore less weight.

8:56 – SS10: Grégoire Munster is also in the special stage, after 3,3km, the Luxembourger is in fourth place, it is Takamoto Katsuta who is the fastest on the first intermediate, despite his difficult start!

8:53 ES10: McErlean begins the descent; caution is advised given the conditions!

8:51 – SS10: Takamoto Katsuta takes off… and starts by stalling! The Japanese driver doesn't lose too much time, but we can see how difficult it is to get these cars going in second gear, to minimize wheelspin.

8:50 – SS10: McErlean continues to climb in the first part of the special stage, which will culminate at 1,300m, with more snow than ice on the summit.

8:48 – SS10: Sami Pajari is the first of the Toyota drivers to start, the beginning of the special stage is particularly difficult, even with studded tires, transmitting the power of the Rally1 engines to the ground is not an easy thing!

8:46 p.m. – SS10: 🟢 Josh McErlean is off! The Irishman is the first to discover the icy special!

8h42 - Unsurprisingly, the drivers opted for studded tires, as the stage was almost entirely covered in ice. Things could change on the second pass at 12:30 PM, once conditions have warmed up.

8h39 - It is currently -2°C at the start of the special stage, truly winter conditions for this Monte Carlo 2026!

8:35 am – ❄️ When the special stage gets underway, Josh McErlean's Ford will be the first to set off, after a difficult start to the rally. Images show a particularly snowy and icy end to the stage; it should be quite a spectacle!

8h31 - Note that the start of this tenth Monte Carlo special stage was delayed; the first car will now start at 8:46 AM. A perfect opportunity to catch up on our video recap of yesterday's events!

8h30 - Hello everyone, welcome to AUTOhebdo.fr for live coverage of Saturday's action at the 2026 Monte Carlo Rally! The real action starts with the first special stage of the day, nearly thirty kilometers long, on sections where heavy snow fell overnight!