World Rally
Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo review

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Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo review

Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo review

A Sebastian Loeb win at Monte Carlo is becoming as traditional as the rally itself, but the eventful 2008 opener also showed us just how much pressure Citroen will be under this year.

The Frenchman powered his C4 WRC through the chiefly French mountain roads to grab a fifth victory, making him the most successful driver ever to compete here. He won 10 of the 19 stages, cruising to victory after fellow Citroen driver and tarmac-lover Dani Sordo dropped out of contention with an engine problem.

Ford's Mikko Hirvonen isn't so fond of the black stuff – this year less snow-covered than usual – but nonetheless the Finn showed flashes of Marcus Gronholm's genius to finish second. On that form he'll have no fear of Citroen in Sweden.

Behind him a thrilling battle for third developed between François Duval at the wheel of Ford's Stobart-sponsored B-team Focus and Aussie Chris Atkinson in his Subaru Impreza WRC. Both took stage wins off Loeb, but a fearless Atkinson retained his slender lead on the clock when both drivers recorded exactly the same time on the final super special stage around Monaco's grand prix circuit.

With Petter Solberg in fifth, a rejuvenated Subaru is now lying in an astonishing second place in the manufacturers' championship. All this before the team has revealed its new car.

Also celebrating is Suzuki after Per-Gunnar Andersson scored the first ever WRC point for the team by finishing an excellent eighth. Further down the order, Britain's Matthew Wilson didn't get his 21st birthday wish to finish in the points, but a consistent drive to 10th was impressive for a rally he confesses not to like. The stage is set: from this evidence, we're on for one hell of a season.
 
 

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