The opening stages held on mountain roads at night proved to be a battle of the two WRC legends that aren't contesting the full 2022 season, as eight-time champion Ogier and nine-time champion Loeb continued their earlier shakedown tussle.
Ogier, eight times a Monte winner, once again showed his class on the chilly asphalt to open out a 6.7-second lead over Loeb, the seven-time Monte winner impressing at the wheel of the new M-Sport Ford Puma on his first WRC event since Turkey 2020.
