SS7 – The duel between Ogier and Evans keeps all its promises – Motorsport.com, Edition: France

The first stage of the Rallye de Monza ended at night on the autodrome. After a dawn start to the day in the winding specials of the Bergamasque Alps, then a return to the circuit at the beginning of the afternoon with a special mainly taking the service axes, hostilities ended this Friday evening with the timed sector. of “Grand Prix” (10.29 km) drawn exclusively on the asphalt between the current F1 circuit and the old speed ring. If the weather conditions were much milder than last year, when the rain and snow had upset the scenario of the rally, the challenge imposed on the drivers was just as demanding.

Launched into a final battle for the world title, Sebastien Ogier and Elfyn evans have given themselves to their heart’s content with tenths all day. Like this last special where the Welshman took 0 “1 from his teammate, the gaps never took off between the two Toyota Yaris WRCs, as the 1” 4 at the end of this first stage attest. “Only” second, the seven-time World Champion gave way on the autodrome after a mastered morning in the mountains with three fastest times. Handicapped by brake problems (SS5), he also admitted that he had not taken all the risks on the stages littered with traps (barriers, concrete blocks, bales of straw, etc.) on the circuit.

On the last step of the podium, Thierry neuville could not keep up with the pace imposed on the outposts this morning before finally closing the gap and staying 21.66 behind the leader. “a little change” who did “a big difference”, Dani Sordo ended the day well by slamming his first scratch, a performance that allowed him to get back into his teammate’s exhausts at just 3 “.

Behind the two official i20 Coupe WRCs, Oliver solberg meanwhile signed a convincing day. Quickly freed from the threat Adrien Fourmaux, got off the road in SS3, the Swede consolidated his fifth place against Takamoto Katsuta, author of several interesting lap times on the circuit.