Hyundai's Ott Tanak drew first blood when the 2025 World Championship's non-hybrid Rally1 cars and recent tire supplier Hankook made their debut in Monte Carlo.
The 3.28 km long Route de la Garde stage was the primary opportunity for the crews to compete in weaker, but 87 kg lighter and more agile Rally1 cars.
It also provided the primary barometer for understanding which driver adapted best to non-hybrid cars and all-new Hankook tires within the Korean company's WRC debut.
The shakedown took place in difficult, wet conditions and for some competitors it is going to be the primary time riding in such conditions with recent tires. Mud being dragged onto the road after each pass added to the issue for crews.
Hyundai's Tanak set the pace as soon as he entered the stage, clocking 2:08.9 seconds, which was 0.7 seconds faster than his closest rival, returning two-time Toyota world champion Kalle Rovanpera, who will compete this yr throughout the season.
Tanak was unable to enhance on his second run, ending the stage 1.6 seconds slower, but his first run was enough to complete the practice stage on top, ahead of Rovanpera.
“It was quite wet, it was quite difficult because the grip was so unpredictable,” Tanak said.
Record nine-time Monte Carlo Rally winner Sebastien Ogier finished the test stage third fastest after the Toyota driver set his best time of two:10.6 seconds in his second stint. The eight-time world champion was 0.1 seconds slower than Rovanpera.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo: Toyota Racing
Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans was fourth fastest, one other tenth behind Ogier, while defending world champion Thierry Neuville was 0.1s slower than the fifth-placed Toyota.
Hyundai's recent signing Adrien Fourmaux made probably the most of his final stint and climbed to sixth place, ahead of Toyota's Takamoto Katsuta.
Rally1 debutant Josh McErlean managed to shave 8.8 seconds off his first stint along with his fourth and final run through the stage to complete the shakeout with the eighth fastest time in M-Sport's second Ford Puma.
McErlean's more experienced M-Sport teammate Gregoire Munster was ninth, while the fifth Toyota GR Yaris driven by Rally1 debutant Sami Pajari finished in the highest ten.
Oliver Solberg won the Rally2 classification, taking eleventh place, and the Swede made his competition debut on the wheel of Printsport's Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The rally begins on Thursday evening with an prolonged schedule of three stages (54.16 km), held at the hours of darkness on Monte Carlo's famous winding asphalt mountain roads.
Photos from the Monte Carlo Rally
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