Sébastien Ogier, defending World Rally Champion, has conquered Rally Monte Carlo 2019 (seventh, sixth in a row) after a thrilling showdown with Thierry Neuville. Third place went to Ott Tänak who has made clear he is going to be one of the title candidates this year. Sébastien Loeb,has seen the chequered flag in fourth position.
The opening round of the 2019 World Rally Championship (WRC) Calendar hasn’t disappointed. A very levelled race with plenty of excitement and a beautiful battle between two very gifted riders. Competitive essence until the very end. The suspense has kept fans on the edge of their seats until the checkered flag went down. Both contenders have arrived separated by a mere four-tenths of a second.
The king doesn’t give in
In his debut with the C3 WRC and on his return to Citroën, the monarch Ogier was not prepared to give up an inch to his throne at the beginning of the 2019 contest, and even less so on such familiar roads. His adversary, however, has not made it easy for him at the Rally Monte Carlo 2019. Thierry Neuville has demonstrated great consistency throughout the race and has made hardly any mistakes.
As it tends to be the case when two giants engage in battle, the outcome was determined by the small details. There, on the fine line between success and failure, the experience of the winner of the last six consecutive crowns (2013-2018), has been crucial. Ogier has set the pace and has started the year just as he finished it: defeating his Belgian opponent for glory.
The Frenchman took the lead during the sixth special stage – the second day – at Monte Carlo, and never let it go. He was able to take advantage of Neuville’s small, but decisive error when he went long on a snowy stretch as he attempted to gain the maximum advantage on Ogier. Each section was their own particular battlefield and every centimetre of the track was painfully battled for. It was a duel of titans in the High Alps between the two fastest gunmen of the championship.
Neuville: Rhythm and consistency.
Technical considerations aside, one might think that the psychological aspects may have weighed against Neuville. Three sub-championships, always in the shadows of the French driver, must weight him down.
The driver from Saint Vith has nonetheless withstood the pressure preventing the six-time World Title winner to escape. He has plenty of reason to be satisfied. He has confronted his great and intimate enemy, leaving it very clear that if he wants a seventh title, he’s going to have to sweat for it.
Tänak: A brilliant third position
Ott Tänak gave an outstanding performance. On Friday he managed to overcome a puncture which initially had seemed catastrophic for his podium chances. He grew in the face of adversity and onboard his Toyota Yaris, he added four consecutive scratches on Saturday. Brave as a navy seal and precise as a sniper, he is confident he wants a piece of glory in this Rally Monte Carlo 2019.
Loeb: Strong debut with Hyundai
Sébastien Loeb finished on a very well deserved fourth place in this his debut with the Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC. Although it may not seem like much for the most successful driver of all times. Nothing could be further from the truth. He has just arrived from the Dakar where he was third, and with very little time to try out his new car, he has managed to shine under very difficult conditions.
It is only thanks to his incredible talent that he has come so close to tasting the champagne at the Rally Monte Carlo 2019. Next comes the Swedish Rally on February the 14th until the 17th. The Scandinavian landscape will be witness to a new episode of this exciting rivalry turned into a legend of the world of Motorsports. We are counting the days!
Images of the Rally Monte Carlo 2019: Hyundai Motorsport, Citroën Racing and Toyota Gazoo WRC.
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