Monte Carlo WRC: Ogier and M-Sport top shakedown - Motorsport.com, Edition: Global

Sebastien Ogier kicked off his collaboration with M-Sport by setting the pace in shakedown for Rally Monte Carlo, the 2017 WRC season opener.

Ogier, who won the last three editions of the rally with Volkswagen, ended up with a comfortable four-second lead in the 3.35km test.

His former teammate Andreas Mikkelsen, who hasn't secured a full-time seat and is instead in WRC2 with a Skoda Fabia R5, was closest to the Frenchman, 4.2 seconds behind.

Ogier's M-Sport teammate Ott Tanak was the second-best WRC car in third, a further 1.9s back, with Jari-Matti Latvala taking fourth in his Toyota Yaris, 7.1s off Ogier.

The second Toyota of Juho Hanninen was seventh, behind the Hyundais of Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo.

Rounding off the top 10 were Hyundai's third driver Thierry Neuville, M-Sport WRC2 driver Eric Camilli and another Skoda WRC2 runner, Jan Kopecky.

The third M-Sport Ford Fiesta of Elfyn Evans was 14th, while the Citroens had a low-key session, with Stephane Lefebvre and Kris Meeke being just 18th and 23rd respectively.

The latter admitted the team chose to run on slicks in order to save the studded tyres for the rest of the event.

"We chose to protect our winter tyres for the rally, we went on a slick, which is completely the wrong choice, but we want to keep our tyres for the rally," said Meeke.

"Normally we have enough studs, but in shakedown here, if you use them and you get a puncture or you damage one, that’s one gone and that can put you at a disadvantage."

The competitive part of Rally Monte Carlo will kick off on Thursday evening with the first two stages.