Sébastien Ogier and M-Sport started their partnership by setting the fastest time during the Monte Carlo rally shakedown on Wednesday.
Ogier, despite admitting he headed into the event "cautiously optimistic" after a lack of preparation, ended the day with a four-second lead following the 3.35km shakedown test, with a time of 2m18.1s.
However it was Andreas Mikkelsen who caused the biggest surprise as the WRC2 Skoda Fabia driver was second fastest, 1.9s ahead of third-placed Ott Tänak, Ogier's M-Sport team-mate.
With heavy snow coating the higher stages, most drivers opted to save their allocation of studded tyres and used the unstudded winter tyres or super soft rubber, which are unlikely to be needed across the remaining days.
Fourth-place was Toyota's Jari-Matti Latvala, 7.1s off Ogier's quickest time, with Hyundai's Hayden Paddon completing the top five fastest cars.
The remainder of the top ten was filled with Dani Sordo in sixth followed by Juho Hänninen, Thierry Neuville, Eric Camilli and Jan Kopecky.
The rally itself starts on Thursday evening with the first two stages.
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