The battle for victory at the Rally Monte-Carlo is intensifying: Adrien Fourmaux’s bold tire choice has suddenly given him a chance at victory
The 2025 World Rally Championship (WRC) season-opener Rally Monte-Carlo is heading for a thrilling finale. Changeable weather conditions and different tire choices are intensifying the fight for victory, with just 22.2 seconds separating the top three ahead of the final Power Stage.
Toyota driver Sebastien Ogier, who is aiming for his tenth victory in Monte Carlo, was able to maintain his lead on the first two special stages on Sunday. However, his lead over his teammate Elfyn Evans has shrunk to 18.1 seconds. Also within striking distance is Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux, who is only 22.2 seconds behind Ogier.
The crucial factor on Sunday morning was the choice of tires. The roads were less icy than some drivers had expected. This played into the hands of Fourmaux, who opted for four slicks, while Ogier and Evans only had two slicks and four studded tires with them and were therefore driving with a mixed set of tires.
This proved to be a clear disadvantage on the 17th stage (Digne-les-Bains/Chaudon-Norante). Ogier lost 23.9 seconds and thus half of his lead over Fourmaux. If conditions remain similarly dry for the Power Stage, which passes over the famous Col de Turini, Fourmaux could overtake Ogier and claim his first WRC victory on his Hyundai debut.
Fight for fourth place: Rovanperä duels with Tänak
Hyundai driver Ott Tänak was briefly in third place after the 16th stage, but dropped back to fourth place (+45.5 seconds) after problems with winter tires on the 17th stage.
Like Fourmaux, Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) chose four supersoft and two winter tires. The Finn survived the icy sections on SS16 and was the only driver able to match Fourmaux, finishing just 4.5 seconds behind on SS17. This puts Rovanperä just 3.1 seconds behind Tänak and in the running for fourth place.
Neuville benefits from retirements and improves
Title defender Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) improved from eighth to sixth place (+5:28.4 minutes) after a difficult rally. He benefited from retirements in the Toyota camp: Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari had to retire after accidents on the extremely demanding stage 16.
Disaster for Katsuta on the opening stage of Sunday WRC & RallyeMonteCarlo pic.twitter.com/Y3lMXfUpNo
— FIA World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) January 26, 2025
Katsuta slid off the road after 1.8 kilometers while lying in sixth place. Spectators tried in vain to push his car back onto the road. Shortly afterwards, Pajari collided with the concrete barrier on the approach to a bridge, causing a serious accident and immediate retirement. The driver and co-driver were unhurt.
M-Sport Ford driver Gregoire Munster also retired on SS17 when he touched a rock wall and spun. Joshua McErlean, a M-Sport Ford debutant in the Rally1 category, braved the difficult conditions and is currently in seventh place (+9:33.3 minutes).
Yohan Rossel (Citroen) continues to lead the WRC2 class, lying in eighth place overall ahead of Nikolai Gryasin and Gus Greensmith (both Skoda). Gryasin fell back after a puncture.
