He confidently won the Monte Carlo Rally

World Rally Championship

The first stage of the world rally championship that started last weekend - the famous race in the vicinity of Monte Carlo - brought success to the current champion, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier in a Volkswagen.

In Monte Carlo, Sebastien Ogier won for the second time. He won his first here in 2009, and no one paid any attention to that victory. It took place as part of a minor competition called the International Challenge, and Ogier at that time was considered simply a promising pilot. He won the second directly in the Monte Carlo Rally, which is considered one of the most prestigious competitions in the racing calendar, and in the rank of the current world champion - the successor of the rally king Sebastien Lob, who left the series.

Sebastien Ogier won confidently. He took the lead on Friday, and by the finish he had an almost minute advantage over his closest pursuer - compatriot Briand Bouffier in a Ford.

As a matter of fact, there was no fight for first place in this rally. Perhaps it would have happened if not for the huge number of gatherings. In terms of their number, the current Monte Carlo Rally has become almost a record. It took place in difficult weather conditions - some special stages had to be driven in fog and on slippery roads, and some organizers staged them at night, which, of course, only made life more difficult for the riders. And not all seasoned pilots have coped with these problems. The list of victims of the Monte Carlo Rally was quite long, and included both M-Sport team drivers, who are considered Ogier's most dangerous competitors. This is the Finn Mikko Hirvonen, who in previous years could not reach the title due to the existence of the invulnerable Lob, and now he has waited for the moment when another Frenchman, as well as the Pole Robert Kubica, matures to the highest level. Kubica, who, as you know, was a Formula 1 star not so long ago, had won a grand prix to his credit. But after a terrible accident in 2011, in which he almost lost his arm, he decided to change his series and retrained as a rally driver. He also participated in the previous championship and even became its winner, but in the second division, WRC2. Now Kubica, having switched from Citroen to Ford, wants to play a prominent role in the top division.

This year they expected a breakthrough from the young Russian pilot Evgeniy Novikov. His track record already included prizes at the championship stages, and in terms of talent the Russian was compared to Ogier. But Novikov is forced to miss the season - or at least miss most of it - for a reason that is banal for elite motorsport, especially Russian: no sponsors were found for the gifted pilot.

Alexey Dospehov

Sebastien Ogier took his place