The Citroën Total World Rally Team crew of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena won Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, the opening round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship. In doing so, the duo become the first to win this famous event five times. Second position was claimed by Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen, while Chris Atkinson/Stéphane Prévot took the final podium position after an intense fight that went down to the wire on the closing super special stage.

Loeb's victory puts him at the top of Championship table but, in the Manufacturers' Championship, four teams are within three points of each other with Citroën heading the pack.

The final day of the 76th Rally Automobile Monte-Carlo was based in the mountains of the Alpes Maritimes, high above the Principality of Monaco. Crews faced four stages without service, including two runs over the famous Col de Turini. The final super special stage then ran around the harbour area of the Grand Prix circuit, concluding the day's 70 kilometres of competition.

Sebastian Loeb's commanding lead ensured the Frenchman could cruise to the finish to claim an unprecedented fifth victory in Monte-Carlo. BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver Mikko Hirvonen also took no risks en route to second, as he too had a comfortable cushion. It was however the fight for third position that dominated the day. Chris Atkinson (Subaru) held the advantage but Stobart Ford driver François Duval pushed hard, won three of the five stages and closed the gap to just 1.1 seconds going into the deciding 2.7 kilometre super special stage. Remarkably, the rivals set the same time over the stage, leaving Atkinson to claim the final podium position. All other positions in the top eight remained unchanged to the finish.
 
The second round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the crews to Scandinavia for the Uddeholm Swedish Rally (7-10 February).

Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo - Final Results
 

FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers (after 1 of 15 rounds)
 

FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers (after 1 of 15 rounds)