This time, Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta joined the diverse group of stage winners. Despite not being fully healthy, Katsuta didn’t let that hold him back. He beat Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville by 1.3 seconds on the 12th special stage.
Sebastien Ogier, who continues to lead the rally, delivered a convincing performance as the last Rally1 car on the road, finishing only 2.4 seconds behind Katsuta’s stage-winning time.
Hyundai’s Ott Tänak and Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä are locked in an intense battle for fourth place. Tänak was 1.9 seconds faster than the Finn on the third stage of the day.
In the overall standings, Ogier now leads the rally by 17.2 seconds over Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, who has moved into second place. Toyota’s Elfyn Evans has dropped to third, now trailing Ogier by exactly 20 seconds.
Rovanperä remains in fourth place, 45.4 seconds behind the leader. However, Tänak is only one second behind the Finn. This sets the stage for a thrilling “match” between Finland and Estonia at Monte-Carlo.
“I don’t know why, but it was really slippery. We had slicks on, and the car was practically sideways the whole time,” Katsuta, who set the fastest time, remarked in disbelief.
Next up in Rallye Monte-Carlo is a service break. The afternoon loop will feature three more special stages. The rally concludes on Sunday.
Rally Monte-Carlo standings after SS12/18:
| POS | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | 2:04:59.9 |
| 2. | Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | +17.2 |
| 3. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +20.0 |
| 4. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | +45.4 |
| 5. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +46.4 |
| 6. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +1:35.2 |
| 7. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +3:50.1 |
| 8. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +5:06.2 |
| 9. | Yohan Rossel | Citroen | +6:48.6 |
| 10. | Josh McErlean | Ford | +7:12.3 |
Itinerary, Rally Monte-Carlo (CET):
Wednesday 22.1. 16.01 Shakedown: Route de la Garde (3,28 km) Thursday 23.1. 18.05 SS1: Digne-les-Bains / Chaudon-Norante 1 (19.01 km) 19.53 SS2: Faucon-du-Caire / Bréziers (21.18 km) 21.06 SS3: Avançon / Notre-Dame-du-Laus 1 (13.97 km) Friday 24.1. 09.31 SS4: Saint-Maurice / Aubessagne 1 (18.68 km) 10.34 SS5: Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes / La Bâtie-Neuve 1 (16.68 km) *CANCELLED 11.42 SS6: La Bréole / Selonnet 1 (18.31 km) 15.23 SS7: Saint-Maurice / Aubessagne 2 (18.68 km) 16.26 SS8: Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes / La Bâtie-Neuve 2 (16.68 km) 17.34 SS9: La Bréole / Selonnet 2 (18.31 km) Saturday 25.1. 08.59 SS10: La Motte-Chalancon / Saint-Nazaire 1 (27.00 km) 10.05 SS11: Aucelon / Recoubeau-Jansac 1 (20.85 km) 11.08 SS12: La Bâtie-des-Fonts / Aspremont 1 (15.48 km) 14.59 SS13: La Motte-Chalancon / Saint-Nazaire 2 (27.00 km) 16.05 SS14: Aucelon / Recoubeau-Jansac 2 (15.48 km) 17.08 SS15: La Bâtie-des-Fonts / Aspremont 2 (17.85 km) Sunday 26.1. 06.39 SS16: Avançon / Notre-Dame-du-Laus 2 (13.97 km) 08.32 SS17: Digne-les-Bains / Chaudon-Norante 2 (19.01 km) 12.15 SS18: La Bollène-Vésubie / Peïra-Cava (17.92 km) *Power Stage
