Oliver Solberg takes early lead at Rallye Monte-Carlo

Oliver Solberg holds a commanding advantage following the opening leg of Rallye Monte-Carlo. Navigating through severe snow, ice, and fog in the French Alps, the Toyota driver established a 44.2-second lead over teammate Elfyn Evans after three highly technical stages.

The event’s second stage proved pivotal, with Solberg delivering a standout performance in dark, slushy conditions to pull clear of the field. While heavy fog forced the red-flagging of the final stage of the night, Solberg maintained his momentum, with defending champion Sébastien Ogier sitting third overall behind the two Toyota teammates.

Despite the extreme conditions, the field saw several notable performances, including Jon Armstrong, who impressed on his Rally1 debut to hold fifth place overnight. Conversely, the treacherous terrain proved unforgiving for others, resulting in the retirements of Sami Pajari and Josh McErlean after accidents on the second stage.