The third day of Rallye Monte-Carlo has come to an end. Thierry Neuville took the rally lead on the day.
SS9, Esparron – Oze 1
Thierry Neuville kicked off the penultimate day of Rallye Monte-Carlo with a stage win. As the 2020 event winner posted a time 9.6 seconds faster than Elfyn Evans to top the stage. Grégoire Munster finished third fastest on the stage, 4.6 seconds slower than Evans for the first top three time of his career. Takamoto Katsuta set a time 3.9 seconds slower than Munster on the stage. Sebastien Ogier rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 0.7 seconds slower than Katsuta.
SS10, Les Nonières – Chichilianne 1
Sebastien Ogier topped the second stage of the day. As the 9-time event winner set a time 2.1 seconds faster than now rally leader Thierry Neuville. Takamoto Katsuta finished third fastest on the stage, 0.2 seconds slower than Neuville. Ott Tänak posted the fourth fastest time on the stage, 0.8 seconds slower than Katsuta. Grégoire Munster rounded out the top five on the stage, 3.1 seconds slower than Tänak.
SS11, Pellafol – Agnières-en-Dévoluy 1
Hyundai drivers Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak tied for the fastest time on the final stage of the morning loop. As both drivers posted a time 1.2 seconds faster than Takamoto Katsuta. Sebastien Ogier finished with the third fastest on the stage, 1.4 seconds slower than Katsuta. Elfyn Evans set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 1.6 seconds slower than Ogier. Grégoire Munster rounded out the top five times on the final stage of Rallye Monte-Carlo day three’s morning loop. Finishing with a time 5.6 seconds slower than Evans.
SS12, Esparron – Oze 2
Sebastien Ogier opened the afternoon loop with a stage win. Setting a time 5.5 seconds faster than leader Thierry Neuville to close the gap between himself and Neuville to just 2.2 seconds. Ott Tänak and Takamoto Katsuta tied for the third fastest time on the stage, with both drivers finishing 8.4 seconds slower than Ogier. Andreas Mikkelsen posted the fourth fastest time on the stage, 1.3 seconds slower than Tänak and Katsuta. Elfyn Evans rounded out the top five times on the stage, finishing 1.7 seconds slower than Mikkelsen.
SS13, Les Nonières – Chichilianne 2
Sebastien Ogier also took the stage win on the penultimate stage of the penultimate day of Rallye Monte-Carlo. Posting a time 3 seconds faster than Thierry Neuville to top the stage and take the rally lead. Elfyn Evans finished third fastest for the first time today, finishing 4.6 seconds faster than Neuville on the stage. Ott Tänak set the fourth fastest on the stage, 5.2 seconds slower than Evans. Takamoto Katsuta rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 4.2 seconds slower than Tänak.
SS14, Pellafol – Agnières-en-Dévoluy 2
Thierry Neuville topped the final stage of the day. Posting a time 4.1 seconds faster than Sebastien Ogier to take back the rally lead. Ott Tänak finished third fastest on the stage, 6 seconds slower than Ogier. Takamoto Katsuta set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 1.8 seconds slower than Tänak. Andreas Mikkelsen rounded out the top five on the stage, 1.4 seconds slower than Katsuta.
Overall After Day Three Of Rallye Monte-Carlo
Thierry Neuville leads the rally and took home maximum points on Saturday under the new points system. Sebastien Ogier sits second overall, 3.3 seconds behind Neuville. Elfyn Evans lost a lot of time on the penultimate due to a hybrid issue. Now Evans sits 31.6 seconds behind Ogier and 34.9 seconds behind Neuville in third. Ott Tänak still sits far back from the front runners. As the Estonian is a minute and 12 seconds behind Evans and a minute and 46.9 seconds behind Neuville. Adrien Fourmaux sits another minute and 7.1 seconds behind Tänak and two minutes and 54 seconds behind Neuville.