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WRC Monte Carlo - an unpredictable rally race with the longest tradition

WRC Monte Carlo

The WRC Monte Carlo or in the original Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo is the first and longest-running rally championship in the world. Although motoring de facto began with the Paris-Rouen race, which premiered in 1894, the Monegasque Championship introduced the notion of a big-door rally. As early as 1909, the Automobile Club de Monaco, under the auspices of Prince Albert of Monaco, began preparations for a rally to promote automobile innovations, but also Monaco as a Mediterranean tourist destination. The rally officially began in 1911, and initially had a start in Paris. The rally has undergone a number of transformations in terms of planned routes and rules for cars participating in the competition. Add to this the often unpredictable conditions on the track, even within individual stages, and it becomes clear that good placements here are reserved for drivers of exceptional skill and resourcefulness.

What is the concept of Monte Carlo Rally and what are its special features?

The Monte Carlo Rally was included in the ERC category in the early 50's and remained there for a full twenty years. With the exception of 2009 and 2011, the race is the top-ranked event on the FIA's official WRC calendar. Since 1991, participants have been able to choose one of the five starting positions offered, which are usually located in Provence, France, while some of the jubilee races have started in other European destinations. The event lasts a total of four days, and the average length of all stages is 300 km, which stretch across the Mercantour National Park and Digne-les-Bains in the northwest all the way to the coast in the south. Due to winter conditions and the route that passes through alpine straits, the race is marked by occasional sleet and possible ice on the ground, which requires forethought when modifying the suspension and choosing tires and maximum control over the vehicle. The highlight of the race is a special stage on the Col de Turini, which often takes place at night, which has become popular among rally followers due to the use of long headlights as the "Night of the Long Knives".

In 2022, the WRC Monte Carlo was accompanied by innovations on and off the track

With some innovation, much is old-new in 2022. In recent years, the host city of the event has been Gap, a town in the French Alps, which was also the starting point. This year the event starts again in Monte Carlo, which dictates the whole pace of the race and again puts the capital of Monaco at the center of events. This year's WRC Monte Carlo has as many as 95% new special stages compared to last year. The Col de Turini, which has not been driven for the past seven seasons due to severe storms, has been in circulation again this year. The service park is again located in the port of Monte Carlo, right next to the docks of luxury boats. The welcoming of the finals took place at the renovated Casino Square, which restored the old splendor to the Monegasque automotive world.

The results of the new season will leave a mark in the history of rally racing

The Monte Carlo Rally held last weekend offered a lot of excitement and uncertainty. In a very diverse lineup of competitors, which included teams from Ford, Toyota, Škoda, Citroen and Hyundai, the victory went to the proven French WRC champion Sébastien Loeb in tandem with the new co-driver, Isabelle Galmiche. Having driven a Ford Puma WRC Hybrid in the race, his victory also proved that hybrids have a bright future in rally championships. Second-placed is Loeb's compatriot and last year's winner Sébastien Ogier in a Toyota Yaris, who narrowly missed out on victory. Third place went to Irishman Craig Breen, who also drove the race with Puma. Interestingly, the 47-year-old Loeb became the world's oldest rally champion with this victory, ousting Björn Waldegård, who has been a proud holder of the title since 1979.

Monte Carlo is another in a string of victories for the legendary Sébastien Loeb

With his first-class result at the WRC in Monte Carlo, Sébastien Loeb added a new, ninth in a row to his long list of winning places. As for all the WRC titles won, the numbers are even more impressive - in his 25-year career he has won more than 80 WRC championships, making him a serious competitor for the best rally driver of all time. So far, he has had a very successful collaboration with Citroen, and has also been the official driver of Peugeot’s factory team. For his contribution to the Race of Champions with Jean Alessi and his excellent second place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 2009 he was honored with the National Order of the Legion of Honor. By winning this year's Monte Carlo Rally, Loeb showed that he has lost nothing of his well-known precision.

How the WRC looked from the perspective of other competing teams

Since the FIA has passed a new set of rules for hybrids to perform at the WRC in Monte Carlo, most factory teams are committed to aligning technical specifications with the new regulations. Although a lot of hope has been placed in the new Hyundai i20 WRC, the crews achieved weaker placements than expected, and after the rally, the team announced that they will work further on the car's performance. In the WRC2 category, Norwegians Mikkelsen and Eriksen secured first place for the Škoda team and thus repeated last year's winning ranking. The title of WRC3 class winner went to Sami Pajari, who drove the Fiesta Rally3 this season. We can wish all the other crews more luck and success in the next match, which will undoubtedly give birth to new favorites.