Podium finish for Irish duo

On their debut for the factory Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, Dungannon’s Kris Meeke and Killarney’s Paul Nagle netted a podium finish along with a bonus point from the Power Stage of Rallye Monte Carlo, the first round of the World Rally Championship.

Through the final leg of four stages, the Irish pair consolidated their third place and took no risks. World champions Sebastien Ogier/ Julien Ingrassia (VW Polo WRC) won the event – finishing a minute and 18.9 seconds in front of the privately entered Ford Fiesta WRC of Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri. Meeke/Nagle were 35.4 seconds behind in third.

The first run through the infamous Col de Turini – standing water and then plenty of snow at the top of the ‘Col’ – provided the competitors with a testing challenge. Ogier set the best time with Meeke fourth fastest. On the next stage, Ogier was quickest again with Meeke just 3.5 seconds behind. All the top positions remained unchanged, except for sixth where Mikko Hirvonen displaced Welshman Elfyn Evans.