Ogier tops Monte shakedown

Reigning WRC champion Sebastien Ogier started the defence of his title in the way he hopes to continue after pacing the shakedown for the season-opening Rally Monte Carlo.

The Frenchman, at the wheel of his now familiar VW Polo R, completed the 3.52km Chateauvieux stage in a time of 2min 15.3secs, more than a second clear of any of his rivals.

Citroen, despite fielding an all-new pairing in 2014, proved to be the closest opposition to Ogier and VW, with recruits Kris Meeke and Mads Ostberg posting identical 2min 16.5secs times to share second spot on the timesheets. Fourth-placed Jari-Matti Latvala was 1.7secs behind the Citroens, and nearly three shy of VW team-mate Ogier, while Robert Kubica posted the best Ford time in fifth spot, at 2min 18.3secs.

WRC returnees Hyundai took an honourable sixth in the hands of team leader Thierry Neuville, the pairing making its first competitive outing after a well-documented build-up. Neuville ended the day ahead of some experienced names, with Ford's Mikko Hirvonen and Hyundai team-mate Dani Sordo in his wake, while the third VW of Andreas Mikkelsen and the Fiesta of Bryan Bouffier rounding out the top ten.

Shakedown - top 10 times:

1.Sebastian OgierVW Polo R WRC2m 15.3s
2.Kris MeekeCitroen DS3 WRC2m 16.5s
=Mads OstbergCitroen DS3 WRC2m 16.5s
4.Jari-Matti LatvalaVW Polo R WRC2m 18.2s
5.Robert KubicaFord Fiesta RS WRC2m 18.3s
6.Thierry NeuvilleHyundai i20 WRC2m 18.4s
7.Mikko HirvonenFord Fiesta RS WRC2m 18.8s
8.Dani SordoHyundai i20 WRC2m 20.4s
=Andreas MikkelsenVW Polo R WRC2m 20.4s
10.Bryan BouffierFord Fiesta RS WRC2m 21.9s

all times unofficial