Evans successfully navigated through three tricky asphalt stages that featured icy patches to lead nine-time Monte Carlo winner Ogier by 10.7s.
Ogier won two of the three tests to haul himself from third to second overall ahead of Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who is 24.5s back from Evans. His team-mate Tanak headed to the midday service in fourth more than a minute adrift of the pace after a spin on sheet ice.
