Off Road

While Sebastien Loeb stayed in the background, accumulating Top 3 stage times to keep his lead as big as ever, it was Dani Sordo and Petter Solberg who were the center of attention yet again in the battle for second, with Mikko Hirvonen trying to barge his way into the podium places just behind them.

While Sebastien Loeb remained out front, it was a subdued day for the Frenchman, with Citroen team-mate Mikko Hirvonen taking two stage victories to rapidly close in on the ailing Petter Solberg, who let second place slip of out of his grasp and leave it for the taking by Dani Sordo.

Sebastien Ogier’s co-driver Julien Ingrassia has sustained an injury to his right arm, after an accident in the last of today’s stages in the season opening Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Sebastien Loeb won five stages and greatly increased his rally lead today, while his closest rivals Dani Sordo and Petter Solberg spent the day’s six stages constantly swapping places in the other podium places.

The script was already written – Sebastien Loeb, the master of the Monte, would end the first day by comfortably leading his rivals. For a while however, Jari-Matti Latvala seemed determined to turn the rally on its head by setting the script on fire.

The Monte may be one of the most prestigious events on the WRC calendar, however this is the first time in four years the world’s greatest drivers will have faced the imfamous rally, with the legendary Col du Turini once again included on the route of this year’s event.

World Series by Renault regular Nelson Panciatici will make his WRC debut at this month’s Rally Monte Carlo, behind the wheel of an Automeca Citroen DS3 R3.