Monte Carlo Rally – Shakedown: Katsuta surprises the favorites

That's it, it's back! The drivers and teams of WRC 2026 took to the track together for the first time for the Shakedown of Rally Monte Carlo, the traditional opening round of the championship. While snow could make an appearance during the weekend, it was under the sun and on dry asphalt that this first timed section, which does not count towards the general classification, took place around Gap.

Takamoto Katsuta took advantage of the situation to set the fastest time on his first run, with a time of 2:31.8. The Japanese driver leads a five-peat. Toyota, since the reigning world champion is behind him, Sébastien Ogier, then Oliver Solberg, Elfyn Evans and Sami Pajari. The team's three Ford Puma Rally1 cars M-Sport They follow behind, with Josh McErlean, Jon Armstrong and Grégoire Munster, while the first of the Hyundai, that ofAdrien fourmaux, is ranked ninth.

For the Korean brand, the Shakedown was anything but smooth sailing, as Hayden Paddon (10th) already tore off a few small aerodynamic elements from his i20. The damage is even more significant for Thierry NeuvilleThe 2024 world champion had to settle for fourteenth place with only one complete run, as he simply ripped off his front right wheel during his second run through the Shakedown. In WRC2, the two factory Lancias of Nikolay Gryazin and Yohan Rossel set the pace with the two fastest times.

The serious stuff will begin this Thursday at 16:05 pm, with the first special stage of this Monte Carlo Rally, Toudon / Saint-Antonin.

Monte-Carlo Rally 2026
Shakedown results

ALSO READ > Special stages, schedules, entries: The complete guide to Monte Carlo 2026