The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver delivered a decisive performance on the Esclangon / Seyne-les-Alpes stage to move into the lead before managing the closing test of the night to end the leg 44.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Elfyn Evans.

The final stage, Vaumeilh / Claret 1, was red-flagged on safety grounds after visibility was significantly reduced by fog. Seven cars completed the stage before the stoppage, with notional times applied to the remaining crews.

Defending world champion Sébastien Ogier was the fastest of those who completed the stage prior to the interruption and moved into third place overnight. Solberg nevertheless extended his advantage over Evans across the opening leg.

“It’s been a very positive start,” said Solberg. “The conditions were demanding, but we stayed focused and managed the stages well. I’m happy with how the night went.”

Behind the leading Toyota pair, Thierry Neuville recovered from a difficult opening stage to complete the leg fourth overall, while Jon Armstrong impressed on his Rally1 debut. The M-Sport Ford driver set the third-fastest time on SS2 and ended the night fifth overall.

Adrien Fourmaux completed the opening leg in sixth position, followed by Takamoto Katsuta in seventh after adopting a measured approach as conditions deteriorated. Grégoire Munster overcame power steering issues to hold eighth place overnight.

Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon finished the opening leg ninth overall, with WRC2 contenders Eric Camilli and Léo Rossel completing the top ten.

The opening stage at Toudon / Saint-Antonin saw Evans set the early pace, but the rally’s order was reshaped on SS2, run entirely in darkness and featuring mixed grip conditions. Solberg produced the fastest time to establish a significant early advantage.

The opening leg also saw early retirements for Sami Pajari and Josh McErlean, both of whom exited the road on SS2.

Large crowds lined the stages throughout the evening, with fans attending in challenging weather conditions to support the crews on the opening night of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship season.