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The teams of ACM Media Commission met a relaxed and happy Thierry Neuville last week, a few days before the start of the 93rd Monte-Carlo Rally. The Monegasque resident, who is now a full-time member of ACM, has two good reasons to shine this year: he is the current World Rally Champion and last year’s winner in the Principality!
How does it feel to be starting the Rally Monte-Carlo again?
“Monte-Carlo is definitely one of the most mythical rallies on the calendar, if not the most mythical and prestigious. Every WRC driver wants to win it at least once in his life. I’ve won it twice (2020, 2024) and both victories had a special flavour. They were great victories, and they were won in the right way. So to complete a hat-trick wouldn’t be bad”.
Does your new status as World Champions change anything in your approach?
“We’re the defending champions, but we are back to square one. We’re starting a new season with the same ambitions, the same goals, the same desire, but a little less weight on our shoulders. We’re a bit relieved about that (having won the world title), but the pressure to get the big points for the team is still there. That’s good, and we’re ready. I’m looking forward to having a great time, always with the aim of helping Hyundai win, so that its commitment to rallying continues. There are also the 2027 regulations on the horizon, the promotion of the championship and a lot of open questions. We’re going to put everything in the same basket to give ourselves the best possible chance”.
Who will be your main rivals?
“This year, there will be one more title contender: Kalle (Rovanperä) will be one of the men to beat, even if last year Sébastien Ogier decided, during the season, to play the title race to the end. There will also be Ott Tänak, Elfyn Evans and maybe Adrien Fourmaux too”.
Do you always listen to the notes of your co-driver, Martijn Wydaeghe?
“I always listen to my co-driver’s notes. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be competitive at all. There are certain stages that we redo every year, so we’re getting to know them, but there are a lot of changes on the roads from one year to the next, with the weather, the bumps, the quality of the asphalt. Even if you think you know the terrain, you always have to listen to your co-driver. Once you’ve set off on a special stage, once you’ve got the right rhythm, it’s almost automatic”.
How are the road connections going?
“We never get bored on the sometimes very long road sections. We’re always thinking about what we can do to improve the car, the tires we need to put on, the information we get from the team, the weather, with updates every five minutes, the engineer who often asks for things. In the first phase of the road section, we debrief the previous stage, then we stop and make changes to the car for the next stage. Then we have to put ourselves in a bubble of concentration, as we warm up the tires and put on the helmet, focusing on the stage ahead. The atmosphere in the car changes radically”.
What language do you speak with Martijn in the car?
“We are good symbols of what Belgium is like, with three official languages spoken. Martijn is Flemish and I was born in a German-speaking region, but we speak French in the car. It’s the language best suited to our notes, so that it’s precise in terms of road conditions”.
And how do you feed yourselves during a rally?
“Florian (Haut-Labourdette) organizes our meals for each day, with a nutrition plan that we follow as closely as possible, even if it’s not always easy. We also have a catering service at the service park, and we’re very well organized. We eat at lunchtime while watching the videos and notes for the afternoon. In the evening, we get back to the hotel as quickly as possible to prepare for the next day, with lots of videos to watch”.
Are you still enjoying life in Monaco?
“I’ve been living here for ten years, my children go to school and nursery in Monaco, so I appreciate life here. There are a lot of facilities for a top-level athlete, it’s small, a little isolated, with plenty of sunshine. There’s the proximity of the airport, and above all the ease of dealing with administrative formalities. You can do almost everything on foot, so it’s very quick”.
If you had the opportunity to contest a Rallye Monte Carlo Historique, which car would you choose?
“I’d probably go for an Opel Manta 400, just to enjoy myself. But on a rally with lots of snow, a Porsche would be more competitive, with its rear engine”.
What would you have done if you hadn’t become a rally driver?
“I think I could have become a helicopter pilot. I got my license eight years ago. I love it”.
Can’t be missed! From Tuesday 23 to Sunday 28 January, the Fan Zone will play host to the 92nd Rallye Monte Carlo. Based in the Théâtre de verdure of the Parc Givaudan in Gap, close to the Service Park, visitors will enjoy a wide range of activities:
Some 30 exhibitors’ chalets will be on hand to welcome you, including a catering area, road safety and the event’s partners.
In addition, take a look at the Official ACM Boutique and discover the Rallye Monte-Carlo 2025 collection.
Interviews with the drivers:
From Wednesday to Saturday, meet your favourite drivers and managers on stage for public interview sessions. Discover the programme:
Opening hours:
Tuesday 21.01 : 16:00 – 00:00
From Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25.01 : 09:00 – 00:00
Three days to go! The 2025 season of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) kicks off on Thursday afternoon, with a ritual start on Monte Carlo’s Casino Square at 14:30, and there’s no shortage of new features: a new world champion, new events on the calendar, new tires and a new points system. Not to mention a step backwards desired by all competitors: there is no longer a hybrid propulsion system on the cars in the premium category (Rally1), which will reduce power for the drivers, but improve the bottom line for the teams!
This 2025 season was the subject of an inaugural ceremony on Sunday evening, in the sumptuous setting of Monaco’s Casino Square, in front of several hundred WRC fans and tourists visiting the Principality. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was in attendance, as was WRC chief promoter Jona Siebel and executives from Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM). It was also an opportunity to officially present Korean manufacturer Hankook, the new exclusive official tire supplier for the WRC, succeeding Michelin and Pirelli, among others.
Neuville, the new champion!
The main news of this WRC season is the identity of the driver carrying number 1 on the doors of his Hyundai i20N: Belgian Thierry Neuville, resident of Monaco and finally rewarded, at the end of his 15th season of international rallying (he made his debut in Catalonia in 2009!), after 168 starts (21 winsn 69 podiums. He will continue to have at his side the excellent Martijn Wydaeghe, the efficient accomplice of his latest victories and above all of that long-awaited and much-deserved world title in 2024.
A Frenchman at Hyundai
Alongside Neuville and Estonian Ott Tänak, another world champion, in the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team in 2025, there will be a French driver, Adrien Fourmaux, who was very much in evidence last year in his Ford and was therefore logically recruited this winter by Cyril Abiteboul, the boss at Hyundai Motorsport. At M-Sport Ford WRT, the leader this season will be Grégoire Munster, in his second full season in Rally1. He will be able to play big brother to Josh McErlean, a product of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and the FIA WRC2 championship.
Toyota: Rovanperä returns full-time
The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team has a main asset back this season: two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä, who took a step back last year. He’s back for a full season, alongside regulars Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta, who along with luxury freelancer Sébastien Ogier managed to reclaim the Manufacturers’ World Rally Championship crown last year. There will also be a newcomer at Toyota, the very talented Sami Pajari, 2024 FIA WRC2 champion and thus promoted to the higher echelon.
Two major technical innovations…
The main technical news for the 2025 season is the arrival of Korean company Hankook as exclusive tire supplier. It will supply Ventus Z215 soft and super-soft tires, as well as SR20 snow tires, with or without studs. Hankook will then launch its Dynapro dirt tire later in the year.
In another notable development, the cars in the queen class (Rally1) are now lighter, simpler and more affordable, and they continue to use 100% sustainable fuel, as they have done since 2022. They are lighter because they no longer feature the plug-in hybrid units of the last three years. As part of the rule change, the minimum weight of the cars has been lowered from 1260 to 1180 kilos. To maintain an equivalent power-to-weight ratio between the 2024 and 2025 Rally1 cars, the size of the air restrictor has been reduced from 36 mm to 35 mm.
Improved points system
Championship points allocation has been further improved for 2025, to place greater emphasis on outright victory, while ensuring that there is still plenty to compete for on Sundays. Points will now be awarded on a sliding scale of 25-17-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 to the top 10 finishers. On Sunday, the top five of the last Leg only will also be rewarded, as well as the Top 5 drivers in the Power Stage (5-4-3-2-1). So that after being able to accumulate a maximum of 30 points in 2024, a driver who wins the rally, leads the Super Sunday standings and is fastest in the Power Stage can now earn 35 points.
Three new rallies!
Held over 14 rounds, compared with 13 previously, the WRC will visit the Spanish island of Gran Canaria for the first time, followed by Paraguay and Saudi Arabia at the end of the year, for the final round of the 2025 season. Finally, the Estonian Rally returns to the calendar, after a brief stint last year in the Euro Championship.
On all these rallies, former co-driver Nicolas Klinger will be the new FIA WRC safety delegate, following the decision of Michèle Mouton, the great French champion, to retire after more than ten years of loyal service. Klinger’s role as deputy safety delegate will be filled by Estonian Priit Priimägi.
With just 16 days to go before the start of scrutineering for the 93rd Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, which will mark the start of the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the Organising Committee published on this Friday the official list of the 70 crews entered*.
And at the top of the list are the reigning World Champions and winners of the 2024 edition, Thierry NEUVILLE and Martijn WYDAEGHE, who for the first time in their careers will be wearing the No. 1 and not the No. 11 as has been the case since 2019 and the introduction by the FIA of personalised numbers for professional drivers.
With 10 Rally1s representing the 3 official manufacturers (5 TOYOTA, 3 HYUNDAI and 2 FORD M-SPORT) at the start, the battle for victory promises to be as indecisive as it is intense!
While the crews of Elfyn EVANS / Scott MARTIN, Takamoto KATSUTA / Aaron JOHNSTON (TOYOTA GR Yaris), Ott TANAK / Martin JARVEOJA (HYUNDAI i20 N) and Grégoire MUNSTER / Louis LOUKA (FORD Puma) remain loyal to their respective employers. The transfer of the winter concerns Adrien FOURMAUX / Alexandre CORIA, who switched from the FORD Puma to the HYUNDAI i20 N.
The local man of the event, Sébastien OGIER from the Hautes-Alpes Department – paired with Vincent LANDAIS (TOYOTA GR Yaris) – although not taking part in the entire Championship, remains on paper one of the main contenders, looking for a record 10th victory in the Monegasque event.
The two-time World Champions in 2022 and 2023, Kalle ROVANPERA and Jonne HALTTUNEN (TOYOTA GR Yaris), are also back full-time this year.
Last but not least, two newcomers from the WRC2 have joined the elite: 2024 Champion Sami PAJARI – now partnered by Marko SALMINEN – has been promoted to TOYOTA and Joshua MCERLEAN / Eoin TREACY to FORD M-SPORT.
There are also other favourites in the other categories, starting with the WRC2. The leading names include Oliver SOLBERG / Elliot EDMONDSON (TOYOTA GR Yaris), Nikolay GRYAZIN / Konstantin ALEKSANDROV (SKODA Fabia RS), Yohan ROSSEL / Arnaud DUNAND (CITROËN C3) and Gus GREENSMITH / Jonas ANDERSSON (SKODA Fabia RS)….
*On top of the 70 entries accepted under the regulations, after studying the 92 complete entry forms received, including 47 FIA priority crews, and in addition to the presence of the 10 Rally1s (Priority 1), we should highlighted the following record-breaking registrations :
Looking to take part in the 93rd Rallye Monte-Carlo? Discover the maps of each special stage of the 2025 route, with details of the areas accessible to the public.
Find also the access conditions to each public area (access roads, closing and reopening times), in order to plan your visit to this 93rd edition.
We remind you that these areas are dedicated to the reception of the public (marked by green net or green tape), with a minimum overhang of 1.50 m and out of the path of the competitors. Outside these areas, spectators are not permitted. It is not permitted to enter the special stages and to move around in them, on the road or on the shoulders, 30 minutes before the start of the first competitor and until the end of the event. Failure to comply with these rules may result in the delay or cancellation of the special stage.
Rally Guide 2 now available
On Friday 20 December, the Organising Committee also unveiled the Rally Guide 2, which can be downloaded from the Competitors’ Area > Official Documents. This document will enable future competitors to prepare their participation in this 93rd edition in the best possible way.
Next up is the publication of the entry list on Monday, January 03, 2025, as well as the deadline for the registration of opening cars and the closing of accreditation for the international media. The 93rd Rallye Monte-Carlo will be held from 20 to 26 January 2025.
Learning, practice, knowledge of the regulations and studying scenarios. The marshals who will be working on the Rallyes Monte-Carlo next January came on Sunday December 8 for a training day. Divided into several teams, the 130 volunteers from the “Corps des Commissaires” were able to practise their skills during a fictitious rally organized on the roads of the Monegasque hinterland, with a special guest: Julien Ingrassia.
For over 40 years, the aim of the “Circuit Routier d’Instructions Commissaires” (C.R.I.C.) has been to check the application of rally procedures and regulations. Some fifteen virtual competitors were on hand to test the skills of the crews’ guardian angels. After the briefings which marked the start of the day, the teams of volunteers were divided up over the route, which consisted of 3 special stages in real conditions.
Julien Ingrassia, who was invited to take part in this training day after having worked alongside the marshals for several years, was present as a competitor with 2 scenarios to simulate: a delay at the starting point and a red flag simulation. A first for the 7-time Monte-Carlo winner alongside his former driver Sébastien Ogier.
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As proof of its attention to detail, the Rallye Monte-Carlo Organising Committee has invited the WRC World Championship timing provider to give the marshals a chance to practice their skills. Each steward’s post is monitored by an assessor, who checks and rates the level of each steward and post supervisor. “Their reactions and behavior are carefully scrutinized“, explains Cyril Vada, who is in charge of the Training.
The next Rallye Monte-Carlo WRC (23-26/01) and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique (29/01-05/02) are scheduled for January 2025.
Following the six-year renewal of the agreement between the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) and the Formula One Group on November 14 last year, the ACM’s Events Organising Committee is today unveiling the dates of the track events that will be held until 2031.
In 2025, spring in the Principality will see the Monaco E-Prix held for the first time over 2 days, on 03 & 04 May. This will be followed by the 82nd Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco, on 22-25 May.
From 2026, the events calendar of the legendary Circuit de Monaco will change. In accordance with the agreements signed with the promotor, the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco will now take place every first weekend in June. In addition, there will now be 3 weeks between each event. It should be noted that these dates are subject to approval of the calendar by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.
The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique will continue to be held every other year. Consequently, even-numbered years will begin with the historic event at the end of April, before moving on to the Monaco E-Prix in mid-May and the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco at the beginning of June.
Book your tickets for our upcoming circuit events now on our online Ticketing service.
The potential dates for the Monaco E-Prix from 2027 are subject to the renewal of the current contract with the Promoter.
The Organising Committee of the 93rd Rallye Monte-Carlo WRC has published the Supplementary Regulations for the event on Wednesday 20 November, at the same time as it officially opened the entry form.
The first round of the 2025 FIA WRC World Rally Championship will take place from Monday 20 to Sunday 26 January, on a route that once again features numerous difficulties and should appeal to professional and amateur drivers alike.
You can already find the Supplementary Regulations for the event in the Rallye Monte-Carlo 2025, Competitors’ Area > Official Documents, where all the entry and participation conditions are detailed.
Entries are open until Friday 20 December 2024.
You can find the entry procedure in the following link:
Formula 1 will continue to race around the streets of Monaco until 2031, inclusive, following a six-year extension to the existing agreement between the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) and the Formula One Group, that runs through the 2025 season.
Created in 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix featured on the first Formula 1 World Championship calendar in 1950 and is renowned as one of the most famous sporting events in the world and one of the ultimate tests of concentration and skill for Formula 1 drivers.
Monaco will stage the eight round of the 24-race 2025 season, from Thursday 22 to Sunday 25 of May.
“I’m delighted that Formula 1 will continue to race in Monaco until 2031. The streets of Monte Carlo are unique and a famous part of Formula 1, and the Monaco Grand Prix remains a race that all drivers dream of winning. I would like to extend a special thanks to H.S.H. Albert Prince II of Monaco, Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club de Monaco and everyone involved in the extension of this important partnership.” – Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1.
“I would particularly like to thank especially H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Stefano Domenicali, and everyone involved in the extension of this contract. The signing of this new agreement with the Formula One Group until 2031 not only confirms the strength of our relationship, but reaffirms our commitment to offering all visitors an unrivalled, first-class experience at race weekends.” – Michel Boeri, President of the Automobile Club de Monaco.
The 8th E-Rallye Monte-Carlo is over, deprived of its final act. The official final standings were published early Saturday afternoon by the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM). The big winners are, as last year, Spaniards Eneko Conde and Lukas Sergnese (Kia EV6 GT). Their relentless domination over three days enabled them to repeat as winners of the E-Rallye Monte-Carlo. They become the only double winners since the new name was introduced in 2016.
The decision was taken at daybreak by the race directors, following instructions from the Préfet des Alpes-Maritimes, who placed the 06 département under vigilance orange for “rain, thunderstorms, flooding” this Saturday. There were four final regularity stages on the menu for this 4th stage, two of them in Italy, near Dolceacqua, and two others in France, in the Nice hinterland. These did not take place, the precautionary principle taking precedence over sporting interest.
The 60 competitors (out of 63 at the start on Wednesday), whose cars were grouped together in the Parc Fermé at Les Terrasses du Soleil after three gruelling days, handed in their electronic boxes and everyone gathered around a coffee and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. As on Friday evening for the very convivial cocktail party organized at the Prince’s Collection Museum. With drivers, co-drivers, organizers, partners, sponsors, and a few VIPs invited for the occasion.
Conde-Sergnese and Kia, logical winners
Behind the Conde-Sergnese crew, at the front from start to finish, the runners-up in this 2024 edition are two sailors who have navigated the 10 regularity stages to perfection: Olivier Campana and Nicolas Milanesio, in a BMW i4 in the colors of the Yacht Club de Monaco. And the podium will be completed, at the prize-giving ceremony, by a top-level Belgian crew: Michel Decremer and Jennifer Hugo (VW ID3), entered by the Belgian VW Club and winners of last February’s Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique.
Increased autonomy
The 8th E-Rallye Monte-Carlo will go down in history as a rally shortened by the weather, but the main point was elsewhere: for three days, it was a superb demonstration of the progress of electric cars and their increasing autonomy. Most of the competitors covered 250-300 km a day in the Alpes Maritimes, Alpes de Haute-Provence and Var, without needing to recharge their batteries. And the best crew won, uncontested.
There were plenty of people in the towns, villages and assembly parks (Monaco, Colmars les Alpes on Thursday, Briançonnet on Friday) to admire these superb electric cars, 40 different models representing 18 manufacturers from all over the world: American (Tesla), Asian (Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Lexus), European ((BMW, Mini, Audi, Volvo, Renault, Peugeot, Fiat, DS, etc.). And this is anything but a coincidence. The French market for electric vehicles continues to grow (+6%), with a variety of choices unrivalled in Europe. So much the better.
