Time does not seem to have any hold on Sébastien Loeb.
At 48 years and 15 months after his last appearance in the WRC, at the 2020 Rally of Turkey (3rd), the Frenchman took the lead of the Monte-Carlo rally on Friday noon after five specials, with 10.6 seconds ahead of Elfyn Evans (Toyota) and 13 on Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), former leader.
Back in the World Championship with MSport-Ford for at least this opening rally of the season, the very first with the hybrid engine, Loeb is making an impression, winner of the three specials (SS3, SS4, SS5 ) Friday morning on very tricky roads, frosty in places.
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Just a week after finishing 2nd in the Dakar in Saudi Arabia, the 47-year-old veteran isn't bothered by the lower degrees Celsius.
"
We had a great morning, I have a great feeling with the car
," said the Alsatian, engaged with a new co-driver Isabelle Galmiche.
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"
The conditions are really tricky, there are places with grip, others not at all, you have to succeed in adapting your pace and finding the right balance
", developed the nine-time world champion, luxury freelancer in the WRC since 2013, when he picked up the last of his seven Monte-Carlo victories.
Under a bright sun - the driest conditions in recent years according to the drivers - the rally resumes with the same three stages as the morning between Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
