Sébastien Ogier sends Sébastien Loeb back to his rear view mirror.
Last year, a puncture prevented Ogier from fighting for victory on the Rallye Monte-Carlo.
Loeb took the opportunity to equalize with eight wins everywhere in the Monegasque race.
But this Sunday, the eight-time world champion, one title less than Loeb, regained power by winning a ninth success on the Rock.
The 39-year-old Frenchman beat reigning world champion Kalle Rovanperä, also driving a Toyota, and Thierry Neville's Hyundai.
A RECORD-BREAKING ninth #RallyeMonteCarlo victory for @SebOgier!
🇲🇨
It's a first-ever #WRC victory for @vinzzlandais 🏆 pic.twitter.com/0RtTOryayZ
— WRC - FIA World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) January 22, 2023
Engaged in a partial program at Toyota for this season of the WRC world championship, Ogier dominated the first round of the year from start to finish.
Supported by his co-driver Vincent Landais, the native of Gap took the lead from the first special on Thursday evening.
He quickly widened the gap before managing his lead.
Rovanperä is 16 seconds behind the leader before the last four stages scheduled for Sunday.
Nevertheless, Ogier put the lid on the first outing this Sunday.
He thus offers himself the lead in the general classification.
The Frenchman Pierre-Louis Loubet had a series of galleys, between a damaged suspension following a slight front shock, handbrake and water pump problems.
He did not finish his first rally of his full program with the Ford M-Sport team.