French driver Bryan Bouffier snatched the lead in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally on Thursday after world champion Sebastien Ogier blundered on tyre choice.

Ford Fiesta driver Bouffier, the 2011 winner in the principality, leads Britain’s Kris Meeke in a Citroen by 38.8 seconds with Poland’s ex-Formula One star Robert Kubica, in another Ford Fiesta, in third spot.

Ogier paid a price for a poor tyre choice on the morning stages, but had risen to fourth from ninth by the end of the first day in his Volkswagen Polo.

However, he was still over 47 seconds off the lead having started the day on super-slick tyres and crashing into a wall on the opening stage.

“It was a real Monte Carlo Rally, with the rain, snow, the fog,” said Bouffier.

“It’s also really satisfying to finish the first day in first place as a private entry up against factory teams,” he said.

Kubica, in his first full season, impressed by winning the first two stages on slick tyres.

On the first stage he finished 14.3 seconds quicker than Bouffier and 19.1 seconds ahead of Ogier.

“It was very tough, there was snow and we were not expecting snow,” Kubica said.

Belgian driver Thierry Neuville abandoned stage 1 after crashing his Hyundai.