Monte Carlo: After Day 2

(Image: ANDRE LAVADINHO)

Citroën’s Sébastien Loeb has maintained his advantage at the head of the Rallye Monte-Carlo leaderboard, the Frenchman claiming two stage wins to marginally extend his advantage over second-placed Sébastien Ogier. After a trouble-free drive, Dani Sordo has climbed from fourth into third.

Today’s second day of competition took the crews over two loops of three identical stages in the north Ardeche and also Haute Loire region. The 132.50 competitive kilometres provided another day of challenging conditions and crews had to contend with plummeting temperatures, biting winds, deep snow and hard-packed ice in the stages.

Volkswagen’s Sébastien Ogier once again kicked the day off with fastest time and it was to be his only scratch time as conditions in the stages began to favour those running further down the field.

Evgeny Novikov set fantastic times in the following two stages, winning both to climb from sixth to fourth by the mid-day service. The Russian maintained his pace over the second run and is less than 20 seconds adrift of Sordo in third position.

Loeb came into his own this afternoon, the Frenchman in a better position at the front of the running order as stages became more rutted after the first passage of cars.

Fifth place is held by Mikko Hirvonen, the Finn running without problems but unable to match the pace of the leaders. He has dropped from third to fifth tonight.

Similarly, Jari-Matti Latvala never quite got into the groove, the Finn always preferring consistent road conditions. He overnights sixth.

Juho Hänninen notched up his first-ever WRC stage victory this afternoon, winning stage nine. He has moved up the leaderboard from ninth to seventh overall this evening.

Rallye Monte-Carlo – Unofficial Results after Day 2

1. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena (Citroen DS3 WRC) 3hr 16m 29.1s
2. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (VW Polo R WRC) 3hr 18m 03.9s
3. Dani Sordo/Carlos Del Barrio (Citroen DS3 WRC) 3hr 19m 07.1s
4. Evgeny Novikov/Ilka Minor (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 3hr 19m 22.3s
5. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (Citroen DS3 WRC) 3hr 19m 51.8s
6. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (VW Polo R WRC) 3hr 20m 12.3s
7. Juho Hänninen/Tomi Tuominen (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 3hr 20m 40.4s
8. Bryan Bouffier/ Xavier Panseri (Citroen DS3 WRC) 3hr 22m 14.5s
9. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 3hr 22m 18.1s
10. Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) 3hr 30m 44.7s