Ogier wins Monte Carlo rally, Ott Tänak fifth

Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) secured victory at the opening round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) season in Monte Carlo, earning an additional eight points on Sunday. Ott Tänak (Hyundai) displayed strong pace throughout the event but ultimately dropped to fifth place on Sunday due to tire selection.
The final day of the season's opening rally began poorly for Toyota drivers Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari. Katsuta slid on black ice into a roadside hedge, while Pajari lost control on a narrow bridge, ending up in a ditch with the barrier. Neither was able to continue and had to retire from the rally.
Ott Tänak maintained his impressive form by overtaking Fourmaux in the overall standings. Sébastien Ogier, who delivered a dominant stage win, remained in the lead, while Elfyn Evans solidified his second place. Tänak trailed Evans by 17.3 seconds, with Fourmaux just 4.5 seconds behind the Estonian.
At the end of the first stage, Fourmaux hinted that his tire choice might give him an advantage and it certainly did. The Frenchman excelled in the penultimate stage, as did Rovanperä, who opted for four ultra-soft tires. Evans lost 17.8 seconds to the stage winner, Neuville fell behind by 21.1 seconds, Ogier by 23.9 seconds and Tänak by 27.8 seconds.
The challenging road conditions persisted in the final stage. Both Fourmaux and Evans made the same tire choice, with Evans outpacing the Frenchman by 3.5 seconds to secure second place overall, finishing 7.5 seconds ahead of Fourmaux.
The rally victory went to 41-year-old Sébastien Ogier, who claimed his 10th win on home soil. The veteran also won the Power Stage, finishing 18.4 seconds ahead of Evans overall. "This rally means so much to me. I don't know if it was my last, but it might be a good place to end," an emotional Ogier said at the finish line.
Rovanperä delivered a strong performance in the final stage, beating Tänak by 7.7 seconds. The Finn finished fourth overall (+54.3 seconds), with Tänak taking fifth (+58.9 seconds).
The World Rally Championship continues on February 13 in Sweden.
Monte Carlo Rally results:
Sébastien Ogier – 3:19:06.2
Elfyn Evans +18.4
Adrien Fourmaux +25.9
Kalle Rovanperä +54.3
Ott Tänak +58.9
Thierry Neuville +5:44.2
Josh McErlean +10:15.0
Yohan Rossel (WRC2) +10:26.8
Eric Camilli (WRC2) +13:14.6
Leo Rossel (WRC2) +13:20.6
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Editor: Marcus Turovski