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With just a few weeks to go before the start of the 2024 track events, the annual Training & Refresher Camp was held on 23 and 24 March at the “Chapiteau de Fontvieille” in Monaco.
Around 600 volunteers from the Corps of Marshals were mobilized for the weekend, including 44 new candidates. The aim of this Training Camp is to learn how to react to all the situations that Marshals may have to deal with during the on-track sessions this year. To do this, the volunteers (re)discovered the traditional workshops of this Training Camp, with a new feature in 2024. Here’s an overview of the Training:
First Aid: This workshop run by the Monegasque Red Cross, is essentially focused on stretcher-boarding, in support of the emergency services present on the circuit.
Pre-video: Alongside the practical exercises, this theoretical workshop aims to examine, on video, the risks that can be encountered on the circuit.
Pre-rail: This is the first practical experience on track. The aim here is to learn how to cross the rail to operate on the circuit, to pass on equipment and to handle jacks to move single-seaters.
The “Track Intervention” workshops: The first “Track Intervention” workshop consists of learning how to turn over a car, and how to use jacks. The new feature of this formation 2024 is the inclusion of a brand-new car, the CTC (Crash Training Car) for the second “Track Intervention” workshop. More realistic than ever, it’s an old single-seater that has been completely renovated by our teams of volunteers. The aim is to simulate any type of accident, such as the nose of the car crashing into a rail, or the front and rear axles coming apart. In addition, an integrated electrical system can be used to simulate liquid leaks or the release of smoke.
Post-video: As these workshops have been filmed and examined by observers, the Marshals can debrief and analyze their actions.
Electrical risks: The aim of this awareness-raising workshop is to explain the electrical risks associated with single-seater cars in Formula 1 and Formula E, and to provide information on how to behave.
“Gazelle” timed course: Considered a must-do event on the Training Camp, this is a sporting course with obstacles such as crossing a rail, a race with a fire extinguisher, or the evacuating of a gearbox.
Signaling: Another key part of the Training Camp, this enables volunteers to learn, differentiate and handle the different flags and to familiarize themselves with the signage used during the track sessions. Since 2023, this training has been carried out using electric go-karts simulating a race on a circuit. In order to reproduce real-life conditions as closely as possible, fictitious scenarios are studied to assess the responsiveness and the dynamism of the Marshals.
Fire: Under the expert guidance of the Principality’s Fire Brigade, the Marshals were able to practice dealing with flames, handling an extinguisher and evacuating an injured person, using an entirely flammable car.
At the end of this studious and convivial weekend, a general debriefing was carried out by the Command of the Corps of Marshals to validate the integration of the candidates.
Upcoming events:
The entire Corps of Marshals will be meeting on 16 April for the General Meeting, to receive the latest information and recommendations.
The handover of equipment and uniforms will take place on 19 and 20 April before the 3 track events:
How to become a Marshal?
All the conditions of application are specified in the following document: https://acm.mc/en/automobile-club/corps-of-marshals/devenir-commissaire-de-lacm/
Registrations for events in 2025 will open in September 2024.
For any further information, please contact the Secretariat of the Corps of Marshals by phone on: (+377) 93 15 26 16 or (+377) 93 15 26 40.
Following the resounding success of the previous edition, the Organizing and Selection Committee of the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) has decided to retain the same 8 series and classes unchanged for 2024. The event will culminate in tributes and anniversaries in the form of real races in the authentic and majestic setting of the Principality’s circuit. This 14th edition of the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique is set to turn several pages in motor racing history. Idyllic flashback, by decade since 1924, on cars and drivers who will be in the spotlight in 2024!
It is in Lyon that the first memories go back to, 100 years ago (1924), with the unveiling of the iconic Bugatti 35, the compressor version of which won the first two Monaco Grand Prix in 1929 and 1930. Besides, in 1984, the Automobile Club de Monaco organized a Bugatti race to celebrate the 35’s 60th anniversary.
In 1934, the Mercedes single-seaters that had won the last three pre-war Monaco Grand Prix, in 1935, 1936 and 1937, appeared on the grid. Also appearing on the racetrack 90 years ago was ERA, which won the first Prince Rainier Cup in 1936, monopolizing the podium. ERA was again on the starting grid in 1950 for the 1st Monaco Grand Prix, part of the brand-new Formula 1 World Championship.
Later in 1954, that is to say 70 years ago, Mercedes was still at the top of the bill, with the appearance of the W196, which crushed the Grand Prix scene in 1954 and 1955, Juan-Manuel Fangio winning World Championship titles in the same two years. The unveiling of the Maserati 250F also left no one indifferent. Italian cars were present in Monaco from 1955 to 1959, winning twice: in 1956 thanks to Juan-Manuel Fangio, and in 1957 with Stirling Moss at the wheel.
Let’s go back to 1964 (60 years ago), when John Surtees, already a multiple Moto World Champion, also became one in Formula 1 with Ferrari. The Englishman was always present at the start of Monaco Grand Prix from 1960 to 1971, making 12 appearances. Later, Surtees became a full-fledged brand and manufacturer in the discipline, his single-seaters taking part in Monaco Grand Prix between 1971 and 1978. Some of them are among the entries this year!
Then, in 1974, the short-lived Hesketh brand got involved in the major discipline. It was then 50 years ago that the young and flamboyant Lord Thomas Alexander Fermor-Hesketh along with his driver James Hunt, gave F1 a glamorous image in keeping with that of the Principality. It was also the year of the revelation of engineer Harvey Postlethwaite, who not only designed the first Hesketh, but also the Wolf WR1, which won three Grands Prix in its very first season in 1977. Including the Monaco Grand Prix with the experienced Jody Scheckter at the wheel.
It was finally 40 years ago, in 1984, that Ayrton Senna‘s already proven talent, in his modest Toleman Hart, shone through when he took 2nd place, behind Alain Prost, at the 5th Grand Prix of his career, contested in torrential rain in Monaco…
The 14th Historic Grand Prix promises to be a weekend of celebration and passion for competitors and spectators alike. We look forward to a weekend of classic cars, history, and acceleration.
Monaco, March 21st, 2024
As part of Season 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, an all-girls initiative will be held in the Principality, on the eve of the Monaco E-Prix, to celebrate and encourage the participation of women in motorsport.
Are you passionate about motorsport? Curious to discover the World of Formula E and what goes on behind the scenes? Are you aged between 12 and 18?
Register now to take part in FIA Girls on Track programme on Friday, 26 April 2024. A day to remember, with participants immersed in the unique, exciting and electrifying atmosphere of Formula E.
A day of activities, discoveries and conferences will take place in the Allianz Fan Village and the Pitlane. A day of activities, discoveries and conferences will take place in the Allianz Fan Village and the Pitlane. Teenage girls will explore the behind-the-scenes organisation of the 2024 Monaco E-Prix and get up close to the personalities of the sport.
The perfect opportunity for young motorsport enthusiasts looking to learn more about the serie to take their first steps into the exclusive World of Formula E.
Useful information
Who? Girls aged 12 to 18
When? On Friday, 26 April 2024, morning and afternoon
Where? Boulevard Albert 1er – Monaco Circuit
This initiative is part of a global movement to encourage diversity and inclusion in motorsport. By giving young girls, the opportunity to experience Formula E at first hand, the FIA Girls on Track experience aims to inspire the next generation of female drivers, engineers and leaders in this exciting field
How to take part?
© Francois Asal
Everything came together to make this 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique a great vintage, from the perfect weather to the quality of the organisation by Automobile Club de Monaco, from the welcome given by the locals in all the towns and villages along the route, to the very high standard of the 233 crews who set off from the four corners of Europe. In the end, it all came down to a superb winning duo, the Belgians Michel Decremer and Jennifer Hugo, in a 1979 Opel Ascona 400, who led the way from Saturday afternoon until midnight on Tuesday, without interruption.
The winning tandem from the Low Countries has every reason to be proud: the one and only time an Opel has triumphed in a Rallye Monte-Carlo was back in 1982 in an Ascona, with the great Walter Röhrl at the wheel, assisted by the faithful Christian Geistdorfer.
Michel Decremer, who had already won here in 2017 in an Opel Ascona 2000, and his co-driver, for their second rally together, never faltered: no place higher than 55th (out of more than 200 competitors), no more than 60 penalty points collected in any of the 16 Regularity Stages (SR) contested over four days. With a grand finale on Col de Turini just before midnight.
This is the second victory for a Belgian duo in 15 days in a Rallye Monte-Carlo, since Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe won in WRC at the end of January in their Hyundai i20. The final podium looks very impressive, with two Italian crews who spared no effort either: Giorgio Schon and Francesco Giammarino, at the front from start to finish in their Austin Mini Cooper S, and Maurizio Aiolfi and Carlo Merenda, who won two stages in their superb Lancia Beta Coupé 1800.
Impressive statistics!
If we look at the figures for this 26th edition, there are two that stand out: firstly, the presence of 9 different makes of car in the Top 10 of the final and official general classification, published at 12:30 on Wednesday by the ACM; secondly, the fact that 10 car manufacturers won at least one SR, sometimes tied with another make. In detail, Porsche finally beat Lancia (6-5), while Austin (3 wins), Sunbeam and BMW (2 each) also came out on top, with the rest of the laurels shared between Mazda, Alfa Romeo (18 cars at the start), Citroën, Volkswagen and of course Opel, the winning brand this year.
For fans of old-fashioned statistics, here comes another one: Germany, with 10 victories in the SR (for four makes, Porsche, BMW, Opel and VW), beat Italy (only 6, including 5 for Lancia and one for Alfa), and Belgium succeeded Switzerland on the list of winners, since Claudio Enz and Cristina Seeberger won last year in a Lancia Fulvia.
A hugely popular event!
It was certainly a long and testing rally for the crews and organisers, but the support of the local population all along the route was heart-warming, in all the departments crossed, from Ardèche to Drôme, from Isère to Hautes-Alpes, from Haute-Loire to Alpes de Haute-Provence, with Alpes-Maritimes to finish in style, in the great tradition of Rallye Monte-Carlo, on the mythical Col de Turini.
The 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique drew big crowds everywhere, and reassured all fans of old-school motorsport, old racing cars and charming, approachable drivers, never short of anecdotes and good stories. It was a great vintage, so we look forward to an even better rally in 2025!
The Porsche 911 SC of Samuel and Klaus Thiele (#9) took the last honours of this 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, in Col de Turini, winning RS16 ahead of the surprising Volvo 121 of another family team from across the Rhine, Michael and Julius Pan (#215), tied 2nd with the Italian runners-up in the overall standings, Giorgio Schon and Francesco Giammarino, in their Austin Mini Cooper S. With everyone focusing not to jeopardise a week’s efforts, this RS16 didn’t produce any big surprise. The Belgian leaders had to be content with a tied 4th place.
They didn’t crack under pressure. Belgium’s Michel Decremer and Jennifer Hugo, who had been leading the 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique since Saturday afternoon, after RS3, in their Opel Ascona in the colours of Radio Monte-Carlo, were still in front at midnight on Tuesday, when they returned to the port of Monaco after the 16th and final Regularity Stage (RS) of this 2024 edition. On the final podium, they were joined on Wednesday by two Italian crews, Giorgio Schon and Francesco Giammarino (Austin Mini Cooper S) as well as Maurizio Aiolfi and Carlo Merenda (Lancia Beta Coupé 1800).
While awaiting the Final and Official General Classification, due to be published at midday on Wednesday by Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), the Decremer-Hugo tandem was able to relax with the satisfaction of having managed their business perfectly, including this RS16 ending at the top of prestigious Col de Turini. Early in the evening, the organisers had made the wise decision to cancel RS17 altogether, between La Cabanette and Col de Braus. There was so much fog on the road that launching over 200 tired crews in these conditions, at night, would have been far too dangerous.
As a prelude to the departure of the 213 remaining competitors for the night of the Turini, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco took the opportunity to pay a vibrant tribute to his father, H.S.H. Prince Rainier III, and to his passion for beautiful cars.
It was a vibrant tribute because at 8pm, the public on Quai Albert 1er heard the roar of the engine of a rare Deutsch-Bonnet (DB) Frua, restored for the occasion. And Prince Albert II was at the wheel, for a whole lap of the Monaco Circuit.
This DB Frua has been completely restored in the workshops of the Prince’s Collection, from a wreck purchased in the United States. It is an exact replica of the car that Prince Rainier himself drove in the Tour Auto in 1953, using a clever pseudonym to avoid being recognised. The adventure was cut short by a minor accident, but 70 years later his son paid him a fitting tribute.
After completing his lap of the circuit in the DB Frua, H.S.H. Prince Albert II returned to the ACM podium to give the start to the first competitors in the overall classification. Their goal: Col de Turini, the Mecca of Rallye Monte-Carlo since the beginning of last century. The challenge for all the drivers involved, whether Belgian, Italian or French, in an Opel, Lancia or Alfa Romeo, was the same: to win this 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique hands down, with maximum panache!
The suspense is total ahead of the final night of the 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, made of two Regularity Stages (RS16 and RS17) in the hinterland of Nice, close to and in Col de Turini, for a grand finale worthy of the legend of the world’s most famous rally. There are five crews grouped together in 210 points, so anything is really possible at the top of the overall standings. And after 15 hard-fought RSs, there are 8 different makes in the top 8 spots. Phenomenal.
Lancia finished the Common Leg with a bang, winning the last two Regularity Stages on Tuesday on the way back to Monaco. The grey Lancia Beta Coupé 1800 of Maurizio Aiolfi and Carlo Merenda (#2) proved the most effective in RS14, at Laborel, before the Lancia Fulvia 1.3 S of Claudio Enz and Cristina Seeberger, the Swiss pair who won last year, set the record straight by winning their first RS of this 2024 edition.
After a welcome lunch break in Saint-André-les-Alpes, the number 1 Fulvia, with just 30 penalty points, did better between Collongues and Col de Saint-Raphaël (19.3 km) than seven cars finishing this RS15 in a tie for 2nd place, with 40 penalty points. Among them was the Ford Capri of Bruno Saby and Denis Giraudet, perfectly repaired on Sunday and fully ready for the final festival in the Turini.
Before the last two stages, the leading duo is still the same, with Belgians Michel Decremer and Jennifer Hugo still leading in their Opel Ascona in Radio Monte-Carlo livery, ahead of Italians Giorgio Schon and Francesco Giammarino (Austin Mini Cooper S). But their margin of safety has been reduced and the battle for the last place on the podium is going to be fierce between three cars, including that of the juvenile tandem made up of Jules Picoreau and Camille Béal in the number 7 Alfa GTV. Anything is possible, really.
The mano a mano between German and Italian makes had a new episode in RS14, which took all the competitors to Laborel, where the whole field had already passed by on Monday. And this time there was a perfect tie, with a Lancia, the same as on Monday in SR12, and a Spanish Porsche, the same as on Monday in SR10, at the top of the leaderboard.
They’ve been shining since the start of this 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, in a blue 911 turbo bearing race number 4: Spaniards Alvaro Ochagavias Temino and Manuel Macho Gomez once again stood out, between Roussieux and Laborel (18.6 km), and they again finished joint first, this time with the very beautiful grey Lancia Beta Coupé 1800 of Maurizio Aiolfi and Carlo Merenda (#2).
It was another very fine SR in this 2024 edition, contested in very clement weather, and concluded in front of the Monte-Carlo Rally Museum, created by a passionate fan in the heart of Laborel. Other crews took advantage of it to take as few penalties as possible and move up in the overall standings, starting with the only team to finish 3rd: Ferruccio and Carlo Nessi, in a little 1965 Morris Mini Cooper S (#217).
To complete the roll of honour, in 4th place, Luc and Louis Dumas in their 1977 Porsche 924 (#118) did as well as Charles Offel de Villaucourt and Alexandre Moreau-Lespinard in their pretty 1971 Alpine 1600 S berlinette (#72), and as well also as Laurent and Sonny Manzoni in one of many Alfa Romeos entered this year (18 all together), a 2000 GTV (#188) coming all the way from 1972.
The German brands continued their raid on this 26th edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, by winning RS13 which opened the 3rd and final part of the Common Leg on Tuesday morning: a 1981 BMW 323i driven by a Spanish crew, Luis Climent Asensio and Victor Buades (#146), took the laurels between Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert and La Motte Chalançon (18.2 km), another mythical stage of the WRC version, tied with a 1982 VW Scirocco, driven by Ilya Kashin and navigated by Boris Kostyrko (#43).
This was the first regularity stage of the final day and, as is often the case since Monday, the Lancia of the Swiss title holders was back at the front: Claudio Enz and Cristina Seeberger, in their Fulvia 1.3S Coupé, took 3rd place, ahead of the other Lancia Fulvia of a Danish crew, Simonsen-Kristensen (#30), and another BMW, the 2002 Ti of Laurent Combier and Etienne Berthoin.
This good result enabled the crew in the VW Scirocco to move up one place in the overall standings, from 5th to 4th, behind an unchanged leading trio: Opel, ahead of Mini and Alfa. There were still two SRs to be contested on the way back to Monaco, followed by the last two this evening around Col de Turini.
It was a rather unexpected pairing that emerged at the top of the penalty sheets in the RS12 which brought Monday to a close: Lancia, this time with the Beta Coupé 1800 of Maurizio Aiolfi and Carlo Merenda (#2), and Austin, with the Mini Cooper S of Thomas Bauchet and Vincent Kerhard (#219).
The final drive of the day saw Lancia add one point for Italy in the big fight against German brands, adding a 3rd win to its record of SR victories in this 26th edition of Rallye Monte Carlo Historique. Austin also put his name at the top of the board for the first time this year, on the 15.9km route between Recoubeau-Jansac and Pennes le Sec, both in the Drôme Provençale area.
It was a fine end to Day 2 of the Common Leg, narrowly edging out two crews from Eastern Europe who were rather unexpected at such a high level: Andrei Ponomarev and Victor Polyakov in a 1978 VW Golf GTi, Hungary’s Tamas Pasztor and Peter Majoshazi in a 1964 Fiat 2300 S Coupé. Just behind them, the two young Frenchmen in an Alfa Romeo GTV, Jules Picoreau and Camille Béal, again picked up valuable points for the overall classification.
With 12 of the 17 special stages completed, and only five left to go on Tuesday, the suspense is total as the gaps are very small. The leaders are still Belgium’s Michel Decremer and Jennifer Hugo, in their Opel Ascona in Radio Monte-Carlo livery, ahead of Italy’s Giorgio Schon and Francesco Giammarino (Austin Mini Cooper S) and, on the provisional podium, the Picoreau-Béal duo in their beautiful Alfa GTV. All grouped together in just 160 points. Watch out, as Tuesday will be decisive…
