Hyundai’s Ott Tanak drew first blood because the 2025 non-hybrid World Rally Championship Rally1 vehicles and new tyre provider Hankook made their aggressive debut in Monte Carlo.
The three.28km Route de la Garde stage provided the primary alternative for the crews to compete in opposition to one another within the much less highly effective however 87-kilo lighter and extra agile Rally1 vehicles.
It additionally offered the primary barometer for understanding which driver has tailored the perfect to non-hybrid vehicles and the all-new Hankook tyres because the Korean agency makes its WRC debut.
The shakedown was held in difficult damp circumstances and for a number of the subject it will be their first time driving in such circumstances with the brand new rubber. Mud dragged onto the street after every cross elevated the problem for crews.
Hyundai’s Tanak set the tempo after the primary blasts by means of the stage, clocking a 2m08.9s effort which proved 0.7s quicker than his nearest rival, Toyota’s returning two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera, who will contest the total season this 12 months.
Tanak was unable to enhance on his second run, ending the stage 1.6s slower, however his first time was sufficient to finish the shakedown on prime, forward of Rovanpera.
“It felt fairly moist, it’s fairly difficult with the grip being so unpredictable,” mentioned Tanak.
9-time and document Monte Carlo Rally winner Sebastien Ogier ended the shakedown third quickest after the Toyota driver set his finest time of 2m10.6s on his second run. The eight-time world champion was 0.1s slower than Rovanpera.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Picture by: Toyota Racing
Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans was fourth quickest, an additional tenth adrift of Ogier, whereas defending world champion Thierry Neuville was 0.1s slower than the Toyota in fifth.
Hyundai’s new signing Adrien Fourmaux made essentially the most of his ultimate run to climb to sixth, in entrance of Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta.
Rally1 debutant Josh McErlean managed to shave 8.8s from his first run together with his fourth and final cross by means of the stage to finish shakedown eighth quickest, driving the second of M-Sport’s Ford Pumas.
McErlean’s extra skilled M-Sport team-mate Gregoire Munster was ninth, whereas the fifth Toyota GR Yaris piloted by Rally1 rookie Sami Pajari rounded out the highest 10.
Oliver Solberg topped the Rally2 runners in eleventh, because the Swede made his aggressive debut driving a Printsport-run Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The rally begins on Thursday night time with an expanded three-stage (54.16km) schedule, held on Monte Carlo’s well-known twisting asphalt mountain roads in darkness.
Pictures from Rally Monte Carlo Shakedown
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