Wales’ Elfyn Evans has completed in second place on the opening spherical of the World Rally Championship (WRC) season in Monte Carlo.
Toyota driver Evans and co-driver Scott Martin completed 18.5 seconds behind winner and team-mate Sebastien Ogier, who received the rally for a record-extending tenth time, and co-driver Vincent Landais.
Evans, 36, held off a cost from French driver Adrien Fourmaux, who claimed the ultimate podium spot for Hyundai regardless of a scare on the ultimate stage as he ran large on ice and slipped a financial institution
It’s a robust begin to the season for Evans, who’s a four-time runner-up within the championship, as Toyota team-mate Ogier is barely set to run a part-time season.
Two-time champion Kalle Rovanpera was fourth in his Toyota after overhauling Hyundai’s Ott Tanak on the 18th and remaining stage, whereas reigning champion Thierry Neuville struggled to sixth after two crashes in his Hyundai.
Josh McErlean, from Northern Eire, completed a strong seventh on his debut within the prime tier of the WRC in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally 1.
It was an incident-free weekend from McErlean, 25, and navigator Eoin Treacy, whose tempo improved all through the weekend on one of many WRC’s most tough rallies.
Sunday’s morning remaining three levels claimed three casualties because the Toyota pair of Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta, and McErlean’s M-Sport team-mate Gregoire Munster, all crashed out.
The second spherical of the WRC season takes place on the snow-covered roads in Sweden from 13-16 February.
Rallye Monte Carlo outcomes
1. Sebastien Ogier (Toyota)
2. Elfyn Evans (Toyota)
3. Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai)
4. Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota)
5. Ott Tanak (Hyundai)
6. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai)
7. Josh McErlean (M-Sport Ford)
