Gap (AFP)
The Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) took the lead of the Monte-Carlo rally in front of the French Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), Thursday after the first day of the first test of the WRC 2020 World Rally Championship.
Ogier had taken the lead at the end of the 1st special but Neuville had a fabulous time in the 2nd to take the lead of the rally with 19.1 seconds ahead.
Estonian Ott Tänak, reigning world champion, is 3rd at 25.1 seconds on his Hyundai.
Contested at night, these first two stages of the event, which counted 16 until Sunday, did not see much snow on the road but patches of ice made driving difficult.
"It was very tricky," said Neuville as Tänak complained about the smoke flares ignited by spectators and which hindered his visibility.
"We might have been able to go faster but the rally has only just started," said Sébastien Ogier, who is aiming for an 8th victory - and a 7th consecutive - in this race disputed around Gap (Hautes Alpes ) and in the Nice hinterland.
The French, six-time world champion, raced last year for Citroën, which has since withdrawn from the WRC.
Briton Elfyn Evans (Toyota) is 4th.
Sébastien Loeb (Hyundai) is 5th. At 45, the nine-time French world champion only competes in this season for a few rallies in the season for the South Korean team.
Note that the Finnish Teemu Suninen (M-Sport Ford) suffered transmission problems in the 2nd special that he could not finish.
© 2020 AFP