In a thrilling turn of events at the Rally Monte Carlo 2025, Elfyn Evans emerged as a standout performer after dramatic Friday stages that saw Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak struggle.
The rally which is known for its unpredictable and treacherous conditions, continued to test the world’s top rally drivers with its complex mountain terrain and rapidly changing weather patterns.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville had initially taken the Rally Monte Carlo 2025 lead following the dramatic Thursday night stages, however, Friday’s competition saw a huge shift in the overall standings.
Elfyn Evans, driving the Toyota GR YARIS Rally1, demonstrated exceptional skill and consistency across the day’s stages, gradually distancing himself from his competitors and establishing a commanding position in the rally.
Rally Monte Carlo 2025 Friday stages presented a formidable challenge for the drivers. The route included three critical stages: Saint-Maurice to Saint-Bonnet (a stage not used since 2021), Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes / La Bâtie-Neuve, and La Bréole / Selonnet.
Elfyn Evans demonstrated exceptional driving prowess, navigating the unpredictable mountain roads with a calculated and measured approach that ultimately propelled him to the top of the leaderboard.
The day’s most significant drama unfolded around reigning world champion Thierry Neuville, whose championship defense took a severe blow when his Hyundai i20 N dramatically slid off the road during Stage 6.
Neuville’s car veered into a ditch at a critical downhill hairpin resulting in a catastrophic left-rear wheel damage that effectively ended his hopes of an immediate strong start.
This incident dramatically illustrated the razor-thin margin between success and failure at the Rally Monte Carlo 2025, where a single moment of lost concentration can transform a competitive run into a challenging recovery effort.
“I think we paid the price of not having enough experience with the tire for the dry section,” said Neuville. “It felt like the tire was quite stable and suddenly I just lost the brake efficiency, and there was a ditch so we damaged the rear.”
Similarly challenging conditions confronted Ott Tänak, another top contender who found the Friday stages unforgiving. The Hyundai driver ran wide through a left-hander, dropping his car into a ditch.
While he was able to recover from the crash, the Hyundai i20’s rear end had swiped a telegraph pole, ripping off most of the rear bodywork which ultimately saw the Estonian driver finish fourth overall and significantly behind the leaders.
READ ALSO: Monte Carlo Rally: Ott Tanak tops shakedown as 2025 WRC takes shape
Toyota’s lineup demonstrated mixed performances throughout Rally Monte Carlo 2025 Friday stages. While Elfyn Evans led the charge, nine-time Monte Carlo Rally winner Sebastien Ogier experienced a rollercoaster start.
After dominating the first two stages and securing impressive stage wins, Ogier encountered a critical moment where he narrowly avoided a more serious incident on a gravel-covered section.
The Frenchman’s experience proved crucial, as he managed to maintain a competitive position despite the setback, finishing the day in third place, just four seconds behind Evans.
“We expected a little bit better but actually there is still some big grip changes in there,” said Ogier.
Meanwhile, Kalle Rovanpera had a notably subdued performance. The Finnish driver candidly acknowledged struggling with the day’s conditions, particularly expressing difficulty in finding the right approach with his new tires.
“We did not have the pace that we were hoping for,” the 2022 and 2023 WRC champion, admitted, signaling that Toyota’s team would need to conduct a thorough analysis to understand and address their performance challenges.
Rally Monte Carlo 2025 saw further organizational challenges when Stage 5 was completely canceled due to a spectator-related incident, with reports indicating an injury along the stage route.
This unexpected interruption added another layer of complexity to an already unpredictable event, requiring teams to quickly adapt their strategies and maintain focus.
As Rally Monte Carlo 2025 progresses, the standings reflect the day’s dramatic developments. Elfyn Evans leads with a razor-thin margin of just 0.8 seconds over Thierry Neuville, with Sébastien Ogier closely trailing in third place.
The top three are separated by merely four seconds, promising an intensely competitive continuation of the event.
