Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo
22 - 25 January 2026
94th edition
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Sébastien Ogier, ten-time winner in the Principality, will start this Thursday, January 22, as the top favorite for the 2026 Rallye Monte-Carlo. From the Rally1 entry list to the WRC2 contenders, including route details and spectator information, here is everything you need to know before the action begins.
Headlining this 94th Rallye Monte-Carlo, Sébastien Ogier stands as the clear favorite for an eleventh victory in the Principality. The Toyota driver will be accompanied by a veritable armada. Gazoo Racing has entered four other crews: Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin, Takamoto Katsuta / Aaron Johnston, Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen, and Oliver Solberg / Elliott Edmondson.
At Hyundai, three cars are in the mix with Frenchmen Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria, the 2024 World Champions Thierry Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe, and the returning duo Hayden Paddon / John Kennard, winners of a single WRC rally (Argentina 2016). Finally, as the third manufacturer engaged in the WRC, M-Sport Ford is fielding three crews: Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne (WRC rookies), Grégoire Munster / Louis Louka, and Joshua McErlean / Eoin Treacy.
For the third consecutive year, the Service Park for this 2026 edition of the Rallye Monte-Carlo is set up in Gap, Sébastien Ogier’s hometown. On roads he knows perfectly, the nine-time world champion will be aiming for another victory in the Principality. That is, provided he successfully negotiates the numerous difficulties of the 17 scheduled stages, covering 339.15km against the clock, from Thursday afternoon to Sunday. Especially if the weather decides to join the party, as snow is never far away…
Following the Shakedown on Wednesday, January 21, on the heights of Gap, the starting ceremony of the 94th Monte-Carlo Rally will be held at Port Hercule in Monaco on Thursday, January 22. The ceremony, which will see the first car set off at 2:30 pm, will be broadcast live on the Automobile Club de Monaco’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The 66 entries will then hit the road to tackle a demanding first stage between Toudon and Saint-Antonin (SS1 – 21.90km – 4:05 pm). This will be followed by the second stage, held at night in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence between Esclangon and Seyne-les-Alpes (SS2 – 23.80km – 6:35 pm), before the third and final stage of Thursday, a fast run between Vaumeilh and Claret (SS3 – 15.06km – 8:35 pm). The crews will then head to Gap, the prefecture of the Hautes-Alpes, for their first overnight halt.
Friday will feature three stages in the morning (SS4 to SS6) and the same loop in the afternoon (SS7 to SS9), totaling 128.88km of timed stages, including Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert / La Motte-Chalancon (SS5/8 – 28.70km – 10:32 am / 4:44 pm), the longest stage of the day.
Saturday will be one of the flagship days of this 94th Monte-Carlo Rally. The schedule kicks off with three stages, including two runs through the longest stage of the Rally, between La Bréole and Bellaffaire (SS10/12 – 29.93km – 08:31 am / 12:31 pm). « It is a stage with changes in rhythm and plenty of traps. For me, it’s the decider », emphasized Romain Pugliese, Clerk of the Course. Saturday will conclude with a spectacular Super Special Stage on the Circuit de Monaco (SSS13 – 2.69km – 6:35 pm).
However, the Rally will be far from over. Sunday, with its 71.90km against the clock in the Alpes-Maritimes, includes a loop of two stages. The first, between Col de Braus and La Cabanette (SS14/16 – 12.50km – 08:05 am / 11:09 am), makes a return after its last appearance in 2006. Finally, the stage between La Bollène-Vésubie and Moulinet (SS15/17 – 23.45km – 09:35 am / 1:15 pm), featuring the iconic Col de Turini, could prove tricky depending on the forecast weather conditions. The start of the Power Stage will be at 1:15 pm.
Behind the Rally1 cars, the WRC2 category promises to be one of the major highlights of this 2026 edition, with 25 crews at the start. It is a consistently growing category, featuring Rally2 cars that are less expensive to run yet highly competitive. Notable in this category is the official return of Lancia with the Ypsilon HF, armed with two crews favored for victory: Yohan Rossel / Arnaud Dunand and Nikolay Gryazin / Konstantin Aleksandrov.
Let’s not forget other headliners such as Frenchmen Eric Camilli / Thibault de La Haye (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), runners-up in the category last year, and Léo Rossel / Guillaume Mercoiret (Citroën C3 Rally2), third in 2025. Also on the starting line will be Pablo Sarrazin (Citroën C3 Rally2), son of Stéphane, and Eliott Delecour, son of François, at the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
As always, fans will be at the heart of the Rallye Monte-Carlo. Two Fan Zones will open for free in Gap and Monaco (see information below). Before the official start, two autograph sessions are scheduled: one in the Gap Fan Zone (Wednesday, Jan 21, from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm), and the second in the Monaco Fan Zone (Thursday, Jan 22, from 12:10 pm to 12:45 pm).
Along the Special Stages, access will naturally be free, with designated Public Zones provided to follow the Rally in the best conditions. Remember: safety first — follow the spectator guidelines. You will find all necessary information below.
Finally, Saturday will be marked by the Super Special Stage on the Monaco circuit, with an exceptional setup for fans on site. Then, on Sunday, January 25, the prize-giving ceremony will take place on the podium at Port Hercule, where you can cheer for the winners of the 94th Rallye Monte-Carlo!
For any further information, please find attached:
As a reminder, the entire Rally will be available to follow via live commentary on our Live Page so you don’t miss a moment of the Rallye Monte-Carlo 2026.
