M-Sport’s new signing, Sebastien Ogier, has topped the first officially timed session of the World Rally Championship season by leading the way in shakedown at the Monte Carlo rally.

Ogier sailed through the 3.35km shakedown in the M-Sport Ford Fiesta 4.2s ahead of the rest.

In a shock result, his former Volkswagen team-mate Andreas Mikkelsen, driving a WRC 2 Skoda Fabia R5 was second best.

Ogier’s M-Sport team-mate Ott Tanak was third fastest a further 1.9s adrift as teams shift through an enormous amount of work with new, more powerful machinery for 2017.

On Toyota’s return to the WRC for the first time since 1999, Jari-Matti Latvala was fourth fastest in the Yaris ahead of the Hyundai pair Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo.

In dry conditions most drivers chose to save their studded tyres until the rally proper.

Citroen’s Kris Meeke was not sighted in the top 10 as his team deliberately opted to run on a slick tyre in order to save its winter tyres for the special stages.

Monte shakedown top 10
1. Sébastien Ogier (Ford Fiesta) 2m18.1s
2. Andreas Mikkelsen (Skoda Fabia R5) 2:22.3
3. Ott Tänak (Ford Fiesta) 2:24.2
4. Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota Yaris) 2:25.2
5. Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 Coupe) 2:25.8
6. Dani Sordo (Hyundai i20 Coupe) 2:26.0s
7. Juho Hänninen (Toyota Yaris) 2:26.6
8. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 Coupe) 2:26.9
9. Eric Camilli (Ford Fiesta R5) 2:29.4
10. Jan Kopecky (Skoda Fabia R5) 2:29.9

VIDEO: Shakedown wrap