Upcoming Events
Three undisputable headliners of the 91st edition of Rally Monte-Carlo kicked off this Thursday morning at the “shakedown” between Sainte-Agnès and Peille (2.29km): Frenchman Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), an 8-time World Champion, in search of a 9th record success in the Principality, Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), the multiple vice-World Champion, often placed, never crowned, and Estonian Ott Tänak, the 2019 World Champion, back at M-Sport Ford, in the team that allowed him to burst on the rally scene.
One rally driver is missing, the legendary Sébastien Loeb, who won last year at the respectable age of 47, but he could not reasonably follow up, in such a short time, a superb 2ndplace in the Dakar rally-raid, Sunday, with such a demanding rally as the Monte-Carlo. Even if the weather conditions are expected to be mild, with almost completely dry asphalt roads. And this regardless of the outside temperature when the crews will leave the Port of Monaco Service Park early in the morning.
We will also have to follow closely, of course, the youngest world champion in the history of the World Rally Championship (WRC): Finnish star Kalle Rovanperä, 22, crowned at the end of 2022 at the end of an incredible season for a driver with so limited experience. His calm is already legendary. It will serve him well during this 91st edition which, like all previous ones, will be tricky, difficult and complicated to manage.
For the second season of hybrid cars in the Rally1 category, inaugurated last year at the same time, the first stage times of 2023 will be known this Thursday evening in Col de Turini (SS1, 15.12km) and Col de Castillon (SS2, 24.90km), so close to Monaco. They will give an initial trend on the potential of the forces involved this year. With a special mention for another young driver: Pierre-Louis Loubet, starting his first full season at M-Sport Ford, the family team of Malcolm Wilson, alongside Tänak. Very promising!
Creating something new out of something old! For this 91st edition, the Automobile Club de Monaco provided all 400 accredited media with “upcycled” products, notably from old posters or advertising banners. These materials are given a second life in a spirit of recycling, recovery and environmental preservation. When you upcycle, you upgrade.
As a result of the combined work of the Automobile Club de Monaco, the promoter of the World Rally Championship and the FIA, the Rallye Monte-Carlo will again be broadcast in its totality this year on the TV channels of the Canal Group, with 2 special stages broadcast in free-to-air.
A special programme for a legendary rally. With the presence of 8-time Rallye Monte-Carlo winner Julien Ingrassia as co-driver, with Laurent Dupin and Manon David, and commentary provided by Stéphane Genti and Nicolas Ciamin, the Canal Group will be offering a unique coverage of this 91st edition. In addition, the Rallye Monte-Carlo will be broadcast continuously on Canal+ on Sunday morning from 7.50am to the PowerStage podium, with 4 special stages on the programme and features during the liaison times.
Monaco Info will be there to follow the Official Start from the Place du Casino on Thursday at 6.25pm. “Les Experts du Rallye” (Vanessa Dessi, Frédéric Helion, Christophe Pacaud, Franck Phillips) will review the stages of the day: Thursday 19 – 11.30pm / Friday 20 – 9pm / Saturday 21 – 10.30pm / Sunday 22 – 6.30pm.
On the digital front, the Automobile Club de Monaco will be broadcasting the Rally Start Ceremony live from the Casino Square in Monaco, as well as the Prize-Giving Ceremony. These events will be broadcast on the ACM Facebook and YouTube pages and on our website.
It will also be possible to follow the Start Ceremony on the Monaco Info website, Facebook page and mobile application.
There will be 75 crews starting from 6.30pm on Thursday 19th January from the Casino Square in Monte Carlo. In total, 10 cars will be entered in the WRC category, 27 in WRC2, 5 in RGT and 33 amateurs.
The battle for victory is sure to be fierce! Kalle Rovanperä – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT (2022 World Champion), Sébastien Ogier – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT (8 Times World Champion & 8-Times Monte-Carlo’s winner), Ott Tanäk – M-Sport Ford WRT (2019 World Champion) and Thierry Neuville – Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT (2020 Monte-Carlo’s Winner) are all 4 main favourites. The suspense should also be there in the secondary categories (WRC 2 / RGT / non-priority).
With less than a month to go before the start, discover the detailed maps of the 2023 Rallye Monte-Carlo route. In the Spectators Area of this page, under the heading Maps, have a look on the interactive maps via Google Maps and/or download the selected files.
Find also the access conditions to each public area (access roads, closing and reopening times), in order to plan your visit to this 91st edition. Spectator information
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.
With 45 days to go before the start of the 91st WRC Monte-Carlo Rally, the volunteer & members of the « ACM Corps des Commissaires » met on Sunday for their traditional training day. For more than 40 years, the aim of the Circuit Routier d’Instructions Commissaires (C.R.I.C.) has been to check the application of the procedures and regulations put in place for rallies.
A necessary training to review the knowledge and skills of each participant.
More than 150 volunteers were involved between the « Chapiteau de Fontvieille » and the roads of the Monegasque hinterland where 3 fictitious special stages were programmed, in real rainy and winter conditions.
The Corps des Commissaires benefits this year from the contribution of a new generation of Commissaires with the presence of 18 new men and women, all passionate about Motor Sports and having worked on the “track” events last spring.
A real seminar between theory and practice
After a morning briefing at 9.00 am, the teams of volunteers were spread out along the route, which was prepared by the Automobile Club teams. The accent was put on the strict application of the regulations. The marshals were placed in real-life conditions with the presence of around twenty competitors.
On the practical side, the objective here is to study all types of scenarios in accordance with reality and which may occur during an event: late check-in, hazard lights, immobilisation of a competitor, red flag, etc.
At the end of the day, the general debriefing will take place, under the responsibility of the Deputy Chief Steward and the Event Director in order to draw conclusions from the training.
Our Commissaires will be back in January for the Monte-Carlo WRC Rally (19-22/01) and the Monte-Carlo Historic Rally (24/01-01/02).
A few days only after the Official Rule Book was published for the 91th edition of Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, and contrary to what was planned when the initial route was announced, last July, the Organizing Committee at Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) has reorganized the 3rd day of the event.
Following a decision by Conseil Departmental (District Council) of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence not to allow drivers to race on SS10/12 between Saint-Geniez and Thoard through col de Fontbelle, during the winter season, for safety reasons, the route for Saturday January 21, 2023, has been significantly amended.
So that Day 3 of the event is now made of a three-stage loop consisting in « Le Fugeret / Thorame-Haute » (SS9/12 – 16.80km – 8:24am/2:25pm), « Malijai / Puimichel » (SS10/13 – 17.31km – 10:05am/4:05pm) and « Ubraye / Entrevaux » (SS11/14 – 21.78km – 12:23am by day/6:23pm by night).
This loop will be run twice for a total length of 111.78km for six special stages, before and after a tyre changing zone and a compulsory regroup in Puget-Théniers, just like Friday.
The Organising Committee of the 91st Rally Monte-Carlo WRC has published the Supplementary Regulations for the event on Wednesday 16 November, at the same time as it officially opened the entry form.
The 2023 Season of the FIA World Rally Championship will start from the Principality of Monaco from Monday 16th to Sunday 22nd January and will be run on the roads of the hinterland with a challenging route between the Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence departments.
You can already find the Supplementary Regulations for the event in the Rallye Monte-Carlo 2023, Competitors’ Area > Official Documents, where all the entry and participation conditions are detailed.
Entries are open until Friday 16 December 2022. You can find the entry procedure in the following link “Entries 2023“.
The exceptional sometimes tends to replicate! Following the huge success of its previous edition, and under the recommendation of the Organizing Committee at Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), Rally Monte-Carlo 2023, the inaugural event of FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), will again settle down next winter in the Principality. More compact geographically, but still very selective, the rally route – with 50% of the itinerary being modified, compared to 2022 – will have new features and a high number of difficulties, thanks to a series of very demanding special stages in the departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
After three days devoted to recce, from Monday January 16 to Wednesday January 18, it will be time for the shakedown session, scheduled for Thursday January 19 from 9:31 am. Reserved to Priority 1 drivers only, and closed to the public for safety reasons, it will use the Col des Banquettes road (744m) towards Peille, starting from Place Saint-Sébastien in Sainte-Agnès, the highest coastline village in Europe. A winding climb of 2.29km and a perfect road to make final set-up adjustments before the official start on the same evening, from 6.30 pm, in the sumptuous setting of Place du Casino in Monte-Carlo. On the menu for this very first “Turini” night session, two special stages for a total of 40.93km, including a brand new version of “La Bollène-Vésubie / Col de Turini” (SS1 – 15.52km – 8:18 pm), starting for the very first time from Camp de Millo, and a very pacy stage “La Cabanette / Col de Castillon” (SS2 – 25.41km – 9:11 pm) which, for the very first time in the history of the rally, will allow drivers to race through five passes in a row: Col de l’Orme (1000m) then Col de l’Ablé (1149m), Col de Braus (1002m), Col Saint-Jean (642m) and Col de Castillon (706m).
On Friday January 20, crews will be heading for the north of the Alpes-Maritimes department and the second day of racing will total 106.18km against the clock. With a loop of three special stages to be covered twice, and an intermediate stop for a regroup and change of tires in Puget-Théniers, this will be a tough cocktail of hardships! Starting with “Roure / Beuil” (SS3/6 – 18.33km – 09:14 am / 2:08 pm) to be run at the foot of the Mercantour National Park, via Col de la Couillole (1678m), then a demanding sequence consisting of “Puget-Théniers / Saint-Antonin” (SS 4/7 – 20.06km – 10:22 am / 3:16 pm) followed by “Briançonnet / Entrevaux” (SS5/8 – 14.70km – 11:25 am / 4:19 pm) via Col du Buis (1196m) and Val-de-Chalvagne. In other words, this 2nd leg promises to be lively!
Next on the menu are Alpes-de-Haute-Provence for the third day of racing on Saturday January 21, which will total 98,43km spread over five special stages. Starting with the 2020 version of “Malijai / Puimichel” (SS9/11 – 17.47km – 09:38 am / 2:08 pm) and continuing with “Saint-Geniez / Thoard” (SS10/12 – 20.79km – 11:26 am / 3:56 pm) via Authon and its dreaded Col de Fontbelle. Between the two loops, there will be a “tire” stop and mandatory regrouping in the heart of Digne-les-Bains, on recently renovated Place du General de Gaulle. Eventually, at the end of yet another day without service, crews will have to take on “Ubraye / Entrevaux” (SS13 – 21.91km – 5:59 pm), at night, via Route de la Clue along Ravin-de-Chalvagne.
Last but not least, for the final leg on Sunday January 22, four special stages totaling 68.98km are scheduled, still without assistance. Two well-known stages in the hinterland, in the north-east of Alpes-Maritimes, to be covered twice by all the remaining crews, and not limited to 50 competitors by the regulations, as in previous years, in order to thank amateur crews for their commitment over the past few years. They will all have to deal with the long version of a traditional stage, “Lucéram / Lantosque” (SS14/16 – 18.97km – 08:01 am / 10:40 am) and a couple of passes in the inaugural stage of this 2023 edition “La Bollène-Vésubie / Col de Turini (SS 15/17 – 15.52km – 09:08 am / 12:18 pm). This famous special stage, at the second pass, will serve as Power Stage. Crews will then return to Monaco around 2:30 pm to pass the finish line, the best of them heading then to the Prize-Giving Ceremony on Place du Casino.
Stages, lengths and timings are indicative, until publication of the official itinerary.
Monaco, July 22, 2022
