Monte Carlo, Principality of Monaco, Jan 22 (AFP/APP): Sebastien Ogier avoided any mishaps to overtake and establish a comfortable lead over Sebastien Loeb at the Monte Carlo Rally on Saturday with black ice making driving conditions hazardous.
Fans who braved the freezing weather in the hills behind Monte Carlo to see the new generation hybrid cars also saw Welshman Elfyn Evans fly round a corner wide and then slip backwards down an embankment in his Toyota Yaris in the morning’s most dramatic moment.
There was no damage to Evans’ car but try as he might he couldn’t get the traction to remount the hill and pulled out for the day having started Saturday in third.
Veteran nine-time world champion Loeb led by almost 10 seconds overnight Friday but finished the day trailing Ogier by a sizeable 21.1sec.
He regretted his mixed tyre strategy as he slipped to 5.4sec adrift of Ogier in the morning session, a trend that continued over the final three specials of the day.
“It’s not easy to drive with two studs and two slicks. It’s difficult to keep the car straight. I tried to push, but Ogier was much faster,” Loeb said.
The 38-year-old Ogier drew level with Loeb, 47, on the tenth special and then pulled ahead of the 11th.
Reigning champion Ogier lives in the region and knows the course well.
“It’s never easy to go through this stage. It’s just about surviving,” he said ahead of Saturday’s second session.
“Unfortunately Elfyn is out on the corner — it’s a shame for the team.”
Oliver Solberg also dropped down a bank and took a full 35 minutes to get back up.
Ott Tanak picked up a slow puncture and Thierry Neuville spun his Hyundai with both men dropping out of contention.
Craig Breen of M-Sport Ford is third at 1min 10sec.
Neither Ogier nor Loeb will race the full season as both drivers are now semi-retired but one of the two won 17 ot the last 18 titles dating back to 2004.
Both pilots will take part in just a handful of the 13 races on the World Rally Circuit that starts in Monte Carlo and ends in Japan in November.
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