Det blev både som vanligt, men ändå med flera spännande insatser, i årets VM-premiär Monte Carlo. Som vanligt var det med en fransk Sebastien i topp när ett VM-rally avgjorts, men bakom den suveräne Ogier var det flera fina insatser i olika team.
Franske privatföraren Bouffier som ledde efter dag 1 slutade som fin tvåa. En imponerande körning av fransmannen som dels vann Monte 2011 (ERC) och även varit med och testkört den nya Hyundaien. Nu kanske det öppnas för fler körningar i WRC under året. Trea och första brittiska pallplaceringen i WRC på väldigt länge, Meeke, dock i en fransk bil!
Fyra och en hög viktiga VM-poäng för den norsk-svenska duon Mads Østberg och Jonas Andersson i Cittran var en perfekt start. På WRC-radion berättade Mads att han var nöjd med att bli fyra i Monte, men kommer inte vara nöjd med en fjärde plats i Svenska.
Rally Monte Carlo 2014 – Topp 10
1. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen 3h 55m 14.4s
2. Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri (F/F), Ford + 1m 18.9s
3. Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (GB/IRL), Citroën + 1m 54.3s
4. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S), Citroën + 3m 53.9s
5. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen + 6m 08.3s
6. Elfyn Evans/Daniel Barritt (GB/GB), Ford + 8m 37.4s
7. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN), Volkswagen + 11m 42.3s
8. Jaroslav Melichárek/Erik Melichárek (SK/SK), Ford + 21m 56.2s
9. Matteo Gamba/Nicola Arena (I/I), Peugeot + 23m 50.7s
10. Yuriy Protasov/Pavlo Cherepin (UA/UA), Ford + 25m 43.1s
Förar-VM efter 1 deltävling
1. Sébastien Ogier 27p
2. Bryan Bouffier 18p
3. Kris Meeke 16p
4. Jari-Matti Latvala 13p
5. Mads Østberg 12p
6. Elfyn Evans 8p
7. Andreas Mikkelsen 6p
8. Jaroslav Melichárek 4p
9. Matteo Gamba 2p
10. Yuriy Protasov 1p
Märkes-VM efter 1 deltävling
1. Volkswagen Motorsport 37p
2. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT 33p
3. M-Sport Ltd. 10p
4. Volkswagen Motorsport II 8p
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
“- What a perfect start to the season! The team did a fantastic job. I am overjoyed. It is an amazing feeling to win the Rally Monte Carlo in these difficult conditions – especially now that the Monte is a round of the World Championship again. For that reason, this win obviously ranks above the victory in the IRC in 2009 for Julien and me. Even more so when you consider the last three days: the fightback in extreme rain, and then the snow chaos on the Col de Turini. I really wanted to win my home rally here. I will celebrate the win appropriately – with my family, my girlfriend and the entire Volkswagen team.”
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
“- I am really happy with fifth place. That was the goal we had set ourselves right from the word go. I have finally brought an end to my poor run at the Rally Monte Carlo. The conditions out on the route were very, very difficult in places – as was the tyre selection, which we did not get right at the start. The stages in the mountains were hard work, but it was worth it. We scored important points. I am particularly pleased with the extra points from the Power Stage. We now head to the Rally Sweden full of confidence.”
Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“An incredibly strenuous rally for us. There were so many conditions we had never come across before. Like many others, we found ourselves driving with slicks on snow and spikes in the rain. The tyre selection was definitely extremely difficult. However, I learned a lot at the Rally Monte Carlo. I am very happy that we finished in the points. That was always our goal, and I am still flabbergasted how difficult it was to achieve that goal.”
Elfyn Evans, M-sport om sin sjätte plats:
“I’m absolutely delighted to have made it to the finish in such a strong position. Obviously it is very disappointing for Mikko , he and Jarmo helped us a lot this weekend and sixth place should have gone to them.
– We managed to keep our noses clean all event – no moments, no dramas, no big slides. To drive round a tricky event like this, like we did, it is a big achievement for us and it fulfils everything we wanted from the weekend.
– There are a lot of people who made it all possible – the ice note crew being one, the team being another. It was a big step to come into a squad like this, and with a top car for my first outing on the Monte, so a big thanks to Malcolm [Wilson] and the team for the opportunity.”
Mikko Hirvonen, M-sport efter tävlingen:
– It’s been a frustrating weekend. We struggled to get back to grips with the Fiesta [RS WRC] in the early stages, but the pace was coming so it is a real shame that it had to end the way that it did. Now, I just need to focus on the next event. Sweden is a rally that I enjoy, so hopefully we’ll be able turn it around and really show our potential.”
Bryan Bouffier om sin andraplats:
– I have to say that before the start of the rally, it was my dream to finish on the podium. To have actually achieved it is a fantastic feeling and truly surpassed my expectations.
– It was a pleasure to battle for the lead. On some stages were really pushed and it was great to see that our pace was strong enough to challenge.
– This is my first WRC podium on my first time with the Fiesta. I need to thank my co-driver and my entire team because without them, this result would not have been possible.”
