Rallye Monte-Carlo 2026: Oliver Solberg Dominates Brutal Opening Leg to Take Commanding Early Lead

Snow, ice and fog wreak havoc as Solberg shines on dramatic Thursday night in the French Alps

Oliver Solberg delivered a stunning performance on one of the most punishing opening legs in recent Rallye Monte-Carlo history, emerging with a commanding early lead after a brutal Thursday night defined by snow, ice, fog and darkness in the French Alps.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver mastered the treacherous conditions to end the opening leg 44.2 seconds clear of team-mate Elfyn Evans after three stages, stamping his authority on the season-opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Solberg Seizes Control in Treacherous Conditions

After Evans struck first on the wet opening stage at Toudon / Saint-Antonin, the rally was turned on its head in SS2 Esclangon / Seyne-les-Alpes. Run entirely in darkness and coated in slush, snow and sheet ice, the stage proved decisive as Solberg delivered a sensational drive, going fastest by a staggering 31.1 seconds.

“My god, that is the craziest I have done in my life,” said Solberg. “In the beginning my driving was really bad, but then on the snow I thought I’d just go for it.”

Despite freezing temperatures and heavy rain, tens of thousands of spectators braved the elements along the Alpine roads, creating the unmistakable atmosphere that defines Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Fog Forces Stage Red Flag as Ogier Climbs to Third

The closing test of the night, Vaumeilh / Claret 1, added further drama as dense fog reduced visibility to near zero. After just seven cars completed the 15.06km stage, it was red-flagged on safety grounds, with notional times applied to the remaining crews.

Defending world champion Sébastien Ogier set the fastest time among those who ran before the stoppage, climbing to third overall by the overnight halt. However, Solberg still managed to extend his advantage over Evans at the front.

“It’s incredible – an incredible start,” Solberg said. “It was the most difficult night of my life so far. Challenging, but good fun.”

Strong Performances Across the Rally1 Field

Behind the leading Toyota duo, Thierry Neuville recovered from a confidence-sapping opening stage to end the leg fourth overall in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. Adrien Fourmaux followed closely in sixth despite briefly finding himself in a ditch during SS3 as fog made the road difficult to even locate.

One of the standout stories of Thursday night was the assured Rally1 debut of Jon Armstrong. The M-Sport Ford driver stunned the field with the third-fastest time on SS2 and finished the opening leg fifth overall, despite a late overshoot and contact with a bank.

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta ran seventh overnight after adopting a cautious, survival-focused approach, while Grégoire Munster battled power steering issues to hold eighth place. Hayden Paddon completed the treacherous opening leg ninth overall for Hyundai.

The extreme conditions also claimed early casualties, with Sami Pajari and Josh McErlean both sliding off the road and retiring on SS2.

Rallye Monte-Carlo 2026 – Standings After Thursday (SS3 of 17)

1. Oliver Solberg / Elliott Edmondson (SWE) – Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 – 43m10.3s
2. Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin (GBR) – Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 – +44.2s
3. Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais (FRA) – Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 – +1m08.6s
4. Thierry Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL) – Hyundai i20 N Rally1 – +1m25.9s
5. Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne (IRL) – Ford Puma Rally1 – +1m34.5s
6. Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria (FRA) – Hyundai i20 N Rally1 – +1m44.8s

With extreme weather continuing to threaten the mountain stages, Rallye Monte-Carlo is already living up to its reputation as the most unpredictable and unforgiving event on the WRC calendar.