Tänak, who left Toyota days after clinching the world championship in late October, now drives for Hyundai, and took his teammate Martin Järveoja with him. Tänak's new teammate and last year's runner up Thierry Neuville (Belgium) is in the lead, and six-time world champion Sebastien Ogier, who replaced Tänak at Toyota, is in second, 19.1 seconds behind the Belgian after the two speed-stage test. T'nak is 25.1 behind Nueville.

The event carries on Friday with six stages of around 20 kilometers each, in the hills and mountain passes surrounding the principality.