Ott Tanak emerged as the fastest driver in shakedown stage for the Monte Carlo Rally, marking an exciting start to the 2025 WRC season.
The shakedown which took place on January 22, 2025, served as the first competitive action for teams and drivers, offering a glimpse into the performance of the newly introduced Rally1 cars running solely on traditional combustion engines after hybrid systems were dropped.
This year’s Monte Carlo Rally shakedown stage was held on the familiar Route de la Garde, spanning approximately 3.28 kilometers. It presented challenging conditions characterized by wet weather and muddy surfaces that quickly deteriorated as more mud was dragged onto the roads.
This created a complex environment where grip levels were unpredictable, significantly impacting driver performance but crucial as this allowed teams to assess their setups and tyre choices ahead of the main rally stages commencing on January 23.
Hyundai driver Ott Tanak completed the two-mile Route de la Garde test in 2m9.7s, edging out Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera by 0.7 seconds. This marked an impressive start to the 2025 WRC season for Tanak as he adapted to the tricky conditions that defined the opening day of competitive action.
Tanak was third on the road and made full use of the cleaner surface to set a blistering pace. Reflecting on his performance, he described the conditions as “tricky” and noted the unpredictability of grip levels.
Meanwhile, Rovanpera who is returning to full-time competition for 2025 WRC delivered a stellar performance to finish second fastest. Starting seventh on the stage, the Finn faced significantly muddier conditions but managed to clock an impressive time of 2m10.5s.
The 24-year old driver echoed similar sentiments regarding the deteriorating conditions: “It’s getting really, really dirty – and quickly – so it’s not so bad time considering the starting place.”
Rovanpera’s Toyota teammate and nine-time Monte Carlo Rally winner Sebastien Ogier finished third overall. Ogier initially struggled with grip during his first run but returned for a second attempt and improved his time by over a second to finish just 0.1 seconds behind his teammate.
Ogier remarked on the unusual conditions at Monte Carlo Rally: “So far the conditions are not what we expect – not much snow, a lot of water,”
Elfyn Evans completed a strong showing for Toyota by finishing fourth overall, just 0.2 seconds behind Ogier. The Welshman displayed consistency and adaptability despite facing challenging conditions later in the stage.
Evans humorously commented on finding enjoyment amidst the chaos: “You have to try and enjoy it in all the madness somewhere.”
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who opened the road as car number one, finished fifth after improving his time on a second run. Despite being 1 second slower than Tänak, Neuville demonstrated resilience and focus as he adjusted to the evolving conditions.
The reigning world champion acknowledged that leading off brought its own set of challenges: “Number one on the car doesn’t mean it will be any easier this year.”
Meanwhile, Adrien Fourmaux rounded out Hyundai’s representation in sixth place. Having recently joined Hyundai from M-Sport, Fourmaux showcased potential by experimenting with different tyre setups during his runs.
M-Sport’s Josh McErlean made an impressive Rally1 debut by finishing seventh overall after steadily improving his times with each of his four runs, shaving off nearly nine seconds from his initial attempt. His confidence to deliver a strong showing at Monte Carlo Rally was evident as he described competing at the new level as “the stuff of dreams.”
However, his M-Sport teammate Gregoire Munster faced technical issues that limited his performance during shakedown but managed to stay competitive within his team.
Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta finished eighth overall, while Sami Pajari marked his full-time Rally1 debut with Toyota by delivering a solid performance despite facing steep competition.
In WRC2 action, Oliver Solberg set an impressive pace among Rally2 cars, finishing ahead of Nikolay Gryazin’s Škoda by a significant margin.
Solberg’s performance underscored his readiness to challenge for top honors in WRC2 despite not being registered for points at Monte Carlo Rally.
The shakedown results have set an intriguing tone for what promises to be a thrilling Monte Carlo Rally. With wet roads and muddy conditions already proving decisive in driver performances, teams will need to carefully strategize tire choices and vehicle setups for the main stages starting on January 23.
As drivers prepare for multiple special stages over the coming days, adaptability will be key in navigating Monte Carlo’s notoriously unpredictable weather and terrain.
