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Due to the snow and ice in the climb to Col de Pennes, a safety speed average, lower than the one originally planned, was imposed on competitors in SR3 (16.13km) between Recoubeau- Jansac and Pennes-le-Sec. It was the third regularity stage of the 25th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique and it was won by a 1975 Volvo 242, entered by Germany’s Norbert Drexler and Austria’s Christian Roessler, tied with the 1964 Sunbeam Tiger of a Belgian crew, Carlo Mylle and Steven Vyncke. The competitors then passed the Crest time control (CH3) and finally arrived within the scheduled times in Valence, on the famous Champ de Mars. It was the end of the Classification Leg with a Mini Cooper S in the lead of the overall standing, the same Mini that won SR2.
The serious part really starts on Sunday, with four legendary stages for Leg 1 of 3, in Ardèche and Haute-Loire. In his Alpine-Renault, half a century after his legendary 1973 win in Monaco, Jean-Claude Andruet will go back in time… notably at La Remise in Antraigues-sur-Volane where the local apple pie was once dedicated to him, before it became distributed by the Jouanny Family to all competitors!
The Austin Mini Cooper S driven by Giorgio Schon and navigated by Francesco Giammarino, one of the Torino entries, won the laurels in SR2 (15.44km) between Chaudon-Norante and Digne-les-Bains, on Saturday morning, before a short break on Place du Tampinet, in the heart of the Prefecture of Alpes de Haute-Provence. There were a few patches of black ice in SR1, but in famous Col du Corobin, very rarely used in winter, there was quite a lot of snow, especially in the descent to Digne; So that all crews had to watch out, and only one made a spectacular mistake. At the end of this stage, on equal penalty points with the Italian Mini, there were two Italian cars at the top of the results sheet: the 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI 1600 entered by the Chiesa couple, Giovanni and Tiziana, already very well placed at the end of SR1, and a Lancia from Switzerland, the 1970 Fulvia Coupé 1.3S with Claudio Enz and Cristina Seeberger on board.
From E-Rally Monte-Carlo to Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, there is only one technological step! Frederic Lanciaux and Nicolas Buhot, winners of the 2021 edition of E-Rally Monte-Carlo, have changed cars. They are embarked in an English racing green MG that is very different from their usual VW ID. It is also much noisier, so that Nicolas, the co-driver, must learn to raise his voice when he reads out the pace notes. For a first participation in a RMCH, the electric and eclectic crew does not sulk its pleasure!
Credit where honor is due, the 2022 winners of Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique were the best in the first Regularity Special (SR) of this 2023 edition, Saturday morning between Briançonnet and Ubraye (18.27 km). A stage used last week in WRC, but in reverse. There were 271 competitors classified at the end of SR1, but the leading duet was made up of Philippe and Antoine Cornet de Ways Ruart, in the same 1965 Porsche 911 that they drove to win the rally in February 2022. Behind the Belgian tandem, the closer rivals were another Porsche 911, coming from Germany and more recent (1982), a 1978 Opel Kadett GTE coming from Great Britain, and two Italian crews entered in a 1975 Lancia Stratos and a 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia. Very promising…
A first stage has been completed! For the 272 competitors who arrived in the Principality on Friday evening, their faces showed the level of difficulty for the Concentration Leg. Five of them saw their participation come to a premature end. Some of them left on Tuesday morning from Oslo and the journey to Monaco was a good start before the first regularity stages which will start tomorrow.
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).
Contrary to what was planned when the initial route was announced, last July, the Organizing Committee at Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) has had to cut the Classification Leg short of one Regularity Stage.
Following a decision by Conseil Departmental (District Council) of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence not to allow drivers to race on Regularity Stage N°3 between Le Castellard-Mélan and Sisteron through col de Fontbelle, during the winter season, for safety reasons, this stage has been cancelled on the program for Saturday January 28, 2023 and will not be replaced…
After last Friday’s selection, it’s time today for the official publication and confirmation of the entries!
For this 25th edition of the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, 284 crews will take part from five authentic concentration routes: Bad Homburg, Oslo, London, Turin and Reims. Five itineraries… for a common destination: Monte-Carlo.
And the rally route remains a series of famous special stages, all of them used every year by the World Championship event, the inaugural leg of WRC.
There will again be many competitors entered, all of them ready to fight on these legendary roads in order to win the trophy held by Belgian twins Philippe and Antoine Cornet de Ways Ruart, winners in 2022 in a 1965 Porsche 911.
The entries of the XXVth edition of the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique (January, 24 / February, 01 2023) are now open.
The entry procedure is available by clicking the following link “Registration 2023“.
The closing date for the entries is Monday 07 November 2022 (Deadline for receipt of the complete file with payment).
The Supplementary Regulations of the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique 2023 are also available in the Official Documents section, where the formalities for event participation are fully detailed.
The Organizing Committee of the 25th edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique took special care in restoring five authentic concentration routes, from Bad Homburg, Oslo, London, Turin and Reims. Five itineraries… for a common destination: Monte-Carlo. And the rally route remains a series of famous special stages, all of them used every year by the World Championship event, the inaugural leg of WRC. There will again be many competitors entered, all of them ready to fight on these legendary roads along 17 Regularity Stages (SR) in order to win the trophy held by Belgian twins Philippe and Antoine Cornet de Ways Ruart, winners in 2022 in a 1965 Porsche 911.
The competitors will arrive in the Principality of Monaco, depending on their city of departure, on Friday January 27between 3:00 and 7:40 pm. The next day, Saturday January 28 from 7:00 am, the Classification Leg will start, with four SRs to be contested heading north to Valence, the prefecture of the Drôme department and once again the Host City for the event. As an appetizer, the copious “Briançonnet – Ubraye / SR1 / 9:20 am / 18,27km” will comprise Col du Buis (1196m) and Col de Laval (1100m) in the Ubraye valley, at a time of year when snow and ice are almost everywhere. Crews will then head for “Chaudon-Norante – Digne-les-Bains / SR2 / 10:35 am / 15,79km” and its illustrious Col du Corobin (1211m), followed by a mid-day time check on Place du Tampinet in Digne-les-Bains from 11:20 am. After this break, they will enter “Le Castellard-Mélan – Sisteron / SR3 / 12:00 pm / 33,34km” and its dreaded Col Fontbelle (1304m) followed by “Recoubeau-Jansac – Pennes-le-Sec / SR4 / 2:30 pm / 16,12km” via Col de Pennes (1040m) to end the purely sporting part of this Classification Leg. A final time check is scheduled at Crest (3:40 pm) in order to regulate crews before their arrival at Champ de Mars in Valence (4:30 pm).
Leaving Valence at 8:00 am on Sunday January 29, crews will head for Ardèche where Part 1 of the Common Leg will be staged. On the morning menu, a revised and modified version of the famous Moulinon stage, “Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut – Saint-Andéol-de-Vals / SR5 / 9:00 am / 40,69km” via Col de Sarasset (825 m). Then hungry crews will stop in Antraigues-sur-Volane, in front of the famous “Remise”, to enjoy the notorious apple tart skilfully prepared by the Jouanny family. Another legendary stage will follow, “Burzet – Saint-Martial / SR6 / 11:20 am / 30,63km” via the Ray-Pic waterfall and Lachamp-Raphaël. As in previous years, the mid-day break will happen on Place du Marché in Saint-Agrève (01:00 pm) where a tasting session for local and regional products always comes at the right time. A significant burst of energy for the competitors, before heading for the high-altitude loop of “Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid / SR7 / 1:30 pm / 27,05km” and, since the previous edition, the Liberthe road which surprised many participants last year. To end the day in style, “Lamastre – Colombier-le-Jeune / SR8 / 3:05 pm / 14,15km” via Col de Saint-Genest (709 m), and as it has become customary these past few years, there will be a last stop before returning to Valence (5.10 pm) : “rallystic” seductions organized on the Farconnet Dock in Tournon-sur-Rhône at 4:20 pm, perfectly orchestrated by the Tournon City entertainment committee.
Direction Haut-Diois, on Monday January 30 from 08:00 am, still departing from Valence, for Part 2 of the Common Leg starting with “Valdrôme – La Piarre / SR9 / 10:10 am / 13,78km” via La Bâtie-des-Fonds – Source of the Drôme – and Col de Carabes (1261m), the natural border with the neighboring Hautes-Alpes department. A perfect link to the Savoyons through “Furmeyer – Barcillonnette / SR10 / 11:10 am / 14,86km” via Col d’Espréaux (1160m). The mid-day pause in Laragne-Montéglin (12:10 pm) will happen at the ideal time for competitors willing to rest a few minutes and recharge their batteries with some local sweets. Before embarking on “Eygalayes – Verclause / SR 11 / 12:50 pm / 36,89 km” including the ascents of Col Saint-Jean (1159m), Col de Pierre-Vesce (1056m) and Col du Reychasset (1052m) in the heart of the Baronnies area, never an easy task! To end this day, a return to the Diois massif is planned, with “Crupies – Saillans / SR12 / 02:35 pm / 23,71km” via Col du Gourdon (953m) and Col de la Chaudière (1047m) as justices of the peace! The last stop of the day is scheduled on Place du Champ de Mars in Crest with a time check from 3:40 pm before returning to Valence (4:30 pm).
On Tuesday, January 31, the start from Valence is scheduled at 07:00 am, heading for Drôme Provençale. This 3rd and last part of the Common Stage begins with “Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert – La Motte-Chalancon / SR13 / 8:30 am / 19,96km”, a monument revisited for the occasion with Col de Planlara (1037m ) to pass before continuing, at exactly the same altitude, with Col de Chamauche. The rest of the fight will happen through the timed stage of “Montauban-sur-l’Ouvèze – Laborel / SR14 / 10:05 am / 18,91km” in its classic version including Col de Perty (1302m). Last but not least, to end this long day heading back to the Principality, crews will take on La Colle Saint Michel between “Thorame-Haute – Le Fugeret / SR15 / 01:05 pm / 18,43km”. The final time check is scheduled on Place Neuve in La Turbie, from 03:30 pm before entering Parc Fermé in Monaco (4.00 pm).
A few short hours of rest will then be allowed before the start of the Final Leg (09:00 pm), scheduled for the last night of Tuesday January 31 to Wednesday February 1. On the menu, two famous stages: “Col de Braus – Lantosque / SR16 / 10:00 pm / 34,35km” and “La-Bollène-Vésubie – Moulinet / SR17 / 11:10 pm / 22,33km”. Crews will be expected on the finish line in Monaco Port Hercule around 1:10 am. Finally, in keeping with tradition, the Gala Night and Prize-Giving Ceremony will take place on the evening of Wednesday February 1, in Salle des Etoiles at Sporting Monte-Carlo. (Evening dress or dark dress required).
