Friday at Rallye Monte-Carlo reminded everyone why this event refuses to respect reputation.
Snow-covered roads, changing grip levels, and zero forgiveness turned the opening full day into a survival test. But amid the chaos, one name stood out — not for caution, but for defiance.
Oliver Solberg decided Friday was the day to challenge the status quo.
Solberg vs Experience: Fearless on the Snow
While others managed risk, Solberg attacked.
The young Toyota driver drove with the confidence of someone who had nothing to lose and everything to prove. On pure pace, he was faster than both Elfyn Evans and Sébastien Ogier, trading blows with rally royalty on Monte-Carlo’s most treacherous stages.
A puncture denied him a clean sweep of the stages — the only thing that stopped what could have been a perfect Friday. Yet even with that setback, Solberg’s intent was unmistakable.
This wasn’t a cameo.
This was a statement.
Neuville’s Friday Unravels
If Solberg’s day was about belief, Thierry Neuville’s was about frustration.
The Hyundai driver slid off the road — a costly mistake on a day where survival mattered as much as speed. The error dropped him out of contention for the lead fight and left Hyundai playing catch-up as Toyota tightened their grip at the front.
Toyota Take Control: 1–2–3 at the Top
As the sun set on Friday, the leaderboard told a familiar but powerful story:
🥇 Oliver Solberg
🥈 Elfyn Evans
🥉 Sébastien Ogier
A Toyota 1–2–3 heading into Saturday — dominance built not on luck, but on composure, pace, and adaptability.
Behind them, Adrien Fourmaux and Thierry Neuville held fourth and fifth, still in the fight but needing something special to break Toyota’s momentum.
Katsuta and Armstrong: Fridays That Hurt
It was a day to forget for others.
Takamoto Katsuta struggled to match his teammates’ pace after suffering punctures on Sections 5 and 6, before a power steering issue compounded his problems and effectively ended his challenge.
For Jon Armstrong, a puncture proved equally costly, robbing him of valuable time and momentum on a day where every second mattered.
Monte-Carlo is ruthless like that — it doesn’t care how fast you are, only how clean you stay
Friday Ends, Questions Begin
As crews returned to service, the picture was clear but far from settled:
-Solberg had announced himself
-Toyota were firmly in control
-Hyundai were wounded, not beaten
The question now hangs heavy over the Alps:
Could Saturday be the turning point?
With conditions still unpredictable and pressure rising, Monte-Carlo has a habit of rewriting stories overnight.
Friday belonged to Oliver Solberg.
Saturday will decide how much it truly meant.
Rally Fanatics 
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