Winners Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, second place Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, third place Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria. Photo Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
The 2025 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season kicked off in thrilling fashion at the Rallye Monte-Carlo, held from Wednesday, January 22, to Sunday, January 26. The opening round of the championship saw Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais secure an unprecedented 10th Monte-Carlo victory with a total time lost of 3:19:06.1. Ogier’s mastery on the treacherous Alpine roads, coupled with his resilience in recovering from an early spin, underscored his dominance in the event.
The Battle for the Podium
Chasing Ogier to the finish line was his Toyota teammate, Elfyn Evans, alongside Scott Martin. Despite a valiant effort, the duo fell short by 18.5 seconds, settling for second place with a total time lost of 3:19:24.6. The battle for third place saw on the podium, Adrien Fourmaux and co-driver Alexandre Coria clinched their first-ever Monte-Carlo podium, finishing with a total time lost of 3:19:32.1.
Triumphs and Tribulations
The rally was anything but predictable, with moments of brilliance overshadowed by heartbreaks. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville initially looked strong, leading overnight on Thursday after Ogier lost 15 seconds with a spin on Stage 3. However, Neuville’s fortunes changed drastically on Friday when he suffered brake failure on his Hyundai i20 N Rally1, sending him into a ditch and damaging his rear suspension. This allowed Ogier to reclaim the lead and take control of the rally.
Further chaos unfolded as Ott Tänak also veered off into the scenery, damaging the rear of his car, though he managed to continue with minimal time loss. Meanwhile, Gregoire Muster faced an early setback with an electrical failure that forced him into early retirement. Rejoining the rally on Saturday, Muster’s return was cut short by a high-speed crash on Stage 17, though he and his co-driver emerged unscathed.
The dramatic incidents continued into Stage 16, where Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta spun off the road just 1.8 km into the stage, becoming stuck and unable to continue. Similarly, Sami Pajari’s rally ended in heartbreak when he crashed his Toyota Yaris Rally1 10.1 km into the same stage, marking a disappointing end to his Monte-Carlo debut.
WRC2 & WRC3 Champions Crowned
The WRC2 category saw an impressive performance from Yohan Rossel and co-driver Arnaud Dunand, who emerged victorious with a total time lost of 3:29:32.9. Meanwhile, the WRC3 category was won by Arthur Pelamourgues and Bastien Pouget, finishing with a total time lost of 3:44:44.9.
Looking Ahead
With the curtain drawn on a captivating Rallye Monte-Carlo, the WRC teams now shift their focus to Rally Sweden in February. While Ogier is set to skip the event, his dominant performance in Monte-Carlo has already set the tone for the season. As the competition intensifies, all eyes will be on the next chapter in what promises to be a thrilling 2025 WRC season.
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