Juho Hanninen (Skoda) leads at the end of Day One, an exciting four stages completed in the cold but sunny conditions in and around Monte Carlo. With 120 cars entered for this event, at the end of SS3 29 cars had already retired, including some big names (http://handbrakeshairpins.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/irc-monte-carlo-rally-retirements-after-ss2/)…
Petter Solberg (Peugeot) is 55sec behind the leader in third, 10sec adrift of second-placed Freddy Loix. Solberg is also the fastest of the Peugeot 207 S2000 runners.
The rally is thus far dominated by Hanninen, but with changeable conditions on the cards for tomorrow this lead may be overturned. Hanninen has driven impressively well, showing why he was crowned the IRC champion in 2010.
Classification after SS4:
01) J. Hanninen (Skoda) –
02) F. Loix (Skoda) + 44,5s
03) P. Solberg (Peugeot) + 55,3s
04) S. Sarrazin (Peugeot) + 55,5s
05) G. Wilks (Peugeot) + 01m 18,7s
06) J. Kopecky (Skoda) + 01m 26,3s
07) B. Bouffier (Peugeot) + 01m 36,2s
08) F. Delecour (Peugeot) + 01m 52,4s
09) J-S. Vigion (Peugeot) 03m 11,3s
10) J. Maurin (Ford) + 03m 53,2s