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Second session of the day and this time Mercedes dominate. After 90 minutes of practice Lewis Hamilton has once again the best time of the session in 1’11’’118. The British man is ahead his Team-mate Valtteri Bottas (1’11’’199). The third pilot of the FP2 is Sebastian Vettel who stands 0’’763 behind the Silver Stars. This afternoon surprise is Alexander Albon who could finish the session on the 5th position. On Friday the Teams will have a day free of driving. They will be back on Saturday for the FP3 and the qualifying…
Hamilton (1’11’’118)
Bottas (1’11’’199)
Vettel (1’11’’881)
Gasly (1’11’’938)
Albon (1’12’’031)
Verstappen (1’12’’052)
Magnussen (1’12’’174)
Giovinazzi (1’12’’239)
Räikkönen (1’12’’342)
Leclerc (1’12’’350)
Second Practice Session Classification
Photo © Jean-François Galeron / wri2.net
On 25 May, on the occasion of the Grand Prix weekend in Monaco, the FIA’s ground-breaking #3500LIVES Global Road Safety Campaign, deployed in partnership with JCDecaux, the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, gathers further momentum with the launch of a new visual bringing together Her Serene Highness Princess Charlène of Monaco and FIA Formula One Racing Driver Charles Leclerc to raise awareness on pedestrian safety.
Every year, 1.35 million people die on the world’s roads. That represents more than 3,500 people every day, including 500 children. Young people are particularly affected as road traffic crashes are the main cause of death of 5 to 29 year olds. With the aim to tackle this challenge and raise awareness on the road safety issue, the #3500LIVES Campaign, which has been displayed in 80 countries so far, encourages all road users to adopt simple, easily applicable and efficient road safety rules.
The Campaign’s message will be reinforced by the new rule supported by H.S.H. Princess Charlène of Monaco and Charles Leclerc. 88% of pedestrians travel on 1 or 2-star roads, which are considered as unsafe, and 49% of all road traffic deaths occur among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. By calling to “Watch out for Pedestrians”, they invite drivers to pay attention to vulnerable road users, slow down in urban areas and be prepared to stop for pedestrians at all times.
H.S.H. Princess Charlène of Monaco and Charles Leclerc join the 15 celebrities from the worlds of entertainment (Patrick Dempsey, Michael Fassbender, Pharrell Williams and Michelle Yeoh), motor racing (Fernando Alonso, Marc Márquez, Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg), sport (Yohan Blake, Haile Gebrselassie, Antoine Griezmann, Vanessa Low, Rafael Nadal and Wayde van Niekerk), and politics (Anne Hidalgo) who aim to raise awareness on other key risk factors such as speed, alcohol, and seatbelts.
After the Final Leg, the crew n°8, Michel Badosa – Mogens Reidl bring home victory on Renault 8 from 1969.
Second place for Alessio De Angelis – Sergio Sisti on Fiat Ritmo 60.
Massimo Canella – Nicolas Arena take the third place on Lancia Fulvia Coupé 1.3S.
Behind the scenes of the last day of the Rally Monte-Carlo Historique in Le Quotidien n°8
ZR 7: The stage was almost entirely snowy between Col de Gaudissart and Cîme du Mas which seemed to turn out well for the ltalian crews who took the three first places on the podium!
ZR 8: Col de l’Arzelier-Saint Michel les Portes, snowy road as in the 7th one, but sunshine was there ! Amazing job from Badosa, leader of the general classification of yesterday night, with his Renault 8.
ZR 9: RD7 is closed due to an avalanche. Consequently RS 9 Chichilianne – Les Nonières was cancelled.
ZR 10: Marvelous stage in Swedish Rally style ! Fichet’s crew Philippe and… Victoire [Victory !], what a givename for a winner ! Badosa stay on top of the classification.
After a wonderful day in the Massifs du Vercors and Diois, all the competitors reached again the service park of Valence, which means the end of the first part of the common leg, the mind full of highly visual pictures and unforgettable memories.
The Leaders of the overall classification at the end of the Part 1 of the Common Leg:
1 – Michel BADOSA / Mogens REIDL on Renault 8
© Jo Lillini
2 – Massimo CANELLA / Nicolas ARENA on Lancia Fulvia Coupé 1.3S
© Jo Lillini
3 – Alessio DE ANGELIS / Sergio SISTI on Fiat Ritmo 60
© Jo Lillini
Le QUOTIDIEN du Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique 2019 will be available everyday on the official website of the Automobile Club de Monaco [www.acm.mc1, on the social networks of the Automobile Club de Monaco and on the application ACM Live [available on App Store and Google Play].
Due to the exceptional weather conditions and as a safety measure, Z.R 5 and 6 are cancelled.
The Passage Control of Plats is cancelled too.
The competitors are regrouped in St Agrève from where they will leave by the following itinerary to join Tournon / Rhône.
On account of a major regional meeting of “Yellow Jackets” this Saturday 2nd February and at the Drome’s Prefecture request, the arrivals of the competitors and all the festivities organized around the 22th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, initially planned on the Champs de Mars, will be exceptionally held at the Georges Pompidou Stadium. The arrivals of the cars will take place on Saturday February 2nd (after a 2 hours regrouping in Crest) at 5.20 pm, on Sunday February 3rd at 4.40 pm and on Monday February 4that 3.30 pm.
From Saturday February 2nd to Wednesday February 5th, the village at the Goerges Pompidou stadium will welcome the 25 000 visitors expected and will offer numerous activities for adults and children (car and motorbike exposing, tastings, trial of historical vehicles… etc).
7th victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo for Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia on Citroën C3 WRC
2nd at 2″2: Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gilsoul on Hyundai i20 WRC
3rd at 2’15″2: Ott Tanak and Martin Jarveoja on Toyota Yaris WRC
WRC2 victory: Gus Greensmith and Elliott Edmonson on Ford Fiesta
WRC victory: Yoann Bonato and Benjamin Boulloud on Citroën C3
100th victory in Rally for Citroën
After SS8, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia (Citroen C3 WRC) lead the Rallye Monte-Carlo.
Sébastien Ogier (leader)
It hasn’t been a bad day Seb…
It’s been a tricky day with difficult tyre choices. The conditions we have seen on the three stages have been completely different. It’s about keeping out of trouble and trying to stay in a safe rhythm. If you try to push it’s so easy to do a mistake. I’m very pleased to be first on my first day in the C3, but Thierry is very close. All the time we are more or less together, but we already made a difference to the others, that’s good
What do you know about tomorrow’s conditions?
Honestly not much. I have some information soon enough from our gravel crew and I hope I can make the right tyre choice. Today it was right in the morning then they cancel SS1 and out strategy is not good anymore, but it benefits the Hyundais. This afternoon was close, but maybe it would be slightly better for the studs.
Great support here as usual…
Like always the support is fantastic. It’s such a chance to have a home rally in the championship and I enjoy so much to race here every year. Tomorrow will be even better with the roads in my valley where I was born.
Thierry Neuville (2nd at 2″ – Hyundai i20 WRC)
Thierry, that’s quite a recovery to come from 14s down to just two seconds…
I had a big smile at the end of the last stage because I knew I had done a good stage. I did not expect to catch so much time, like Seb said he was a bit more careful. We had good information from the gravel crew. I made mistake two stages before and lost 20s – that could have been our advantage tonight. But we had a good rhythm and we’re enjoying it a lot. I’m a bit disappointed we could not have the advantage with a good tyre choice this afternoon.
Tell us about that mistake…
I was definitely too quick, it was actually the first corner on the stage and this was the first time I was on full studs with the car. It wouldn’t turn as I expected it to, so I took the safe option and went on the road next to the stage. It was 20s quickly lost.
What about tomorrow?
We all know this is a very demanding rally where you need a good rhythm for the whole weekend. We will keep that rhythm and make good tyre choices if the conditions are tricky tomorrow. I hope the fight continues and everybody van enjoy and make a good show.
Andreas Mikkelsen (3rd at 1’17″7 – Hyundai i20 WRC)
Andreas we’ve seen a great recovery from you today…
It has been a good recovery. Yesterday didn’t start so well, but the team was quite lucky this morning and this cancelled stage helped us for sure. It’s tricky out there today, but we had a nice rhythm – not too much. We stayed in the rhythm and I felt comfortable in the car for the first time. I was at one and it was really nice.
But Jari-Matti’s coming and chasing for third…
It’s been a big battle for third, we snatched it on the last stage from Jar and Seb is also close. But tomorrow we know the stages well, we were fast here last year.
What can we expect tomorrow?
We will see when the [gravel] crews go through tomorrow morning, but I’m sure it will be a difficult day tomorrow.
This is a good start to the year though?
This is more or less the first day and things can change… but we’ll push hard tomorrow and see what we can do.
Sébastien Ogier (leader – Citroën C3 WRC)
Tell me about your day Sébastien?
It’s been another tricky day, especially the first stage both times through. They were tricky and changeable conditions. We needed to stay with the studs – at least the tyres has been a bit more straightforward today. But still I am happy to be here sitting in the middle, even if we didn’t increase the gap much. Tomorrow will be another intense day.
There are some legendary stages tomorrow – what do you know about conditions?
I don’t know much yet, we will have our gravel crew tomorrow morning. It should be mainly dry, but it will be cold icy and frosty on the top – there will be places to make a difference… and a mistake! We both want to win, everybody wants win Monte Carlo, it’s a magical rally we all enjoy a lot. We have made a big difference from the rest and we both want to cross the finish line. Second could be good for the championship, but I’m pretty sure Thierry will push to the end and we will do the same.
If you won tomorrow, you would join Walter Rohrl as a driver winning this event with four manufacturers and it would be Citroen’s 100th win – does that add pressure?
Those statistics are very nice, but that’s not what you have in mind when you are driving. Of course it would be great to do that, to take six wins in row and seven in Monte Carlo. I always say if I have a bad season and I can win only one rally then it would be this one – this is why I try tomorrow. I will fight tomorrow.
Thierry Neuville (2nd at 4″3 – Hyundai i20 WRC)
Thierry, what’s the plan tomorrow?
Obviously first of all we had a great day today, it was really enjoyable in the car and we really tried to catch Seb, but it’s always difficult when we are on the same tyres on stages which we know. All in all, it’s been a good day. We look forward to tomorrow, the plan is to catch Seb and to keep the pressure, but also we must think about the championship. We have to think about this.
Thinking about the championship, does that mean the little extra risk not there?
I always try to drive without risks. Of course there are risks, but I try to be on the safe side. When we are in a fight, like in Sardinia last year you try to push a little harder. Tomorrow we have some demanding stages, we don’t know about the conditions and we have to do four stages on the same tyres.
What was the gap going into the final day in Sardinia last year?
It was 4.3! No… it was 2.8 or something. A little bit less.
Sébastien Loeb (3rd at 1’58″7 – Hyundai i20 WRC)
Sebastien, you have battled hard today, but you have two drivers chasing you hard for third…
Yes, for sure. I was struggling a little bit with my set-up. I couldn’t get the confidence from the understeer in the morning, especially with the tricky conditions in the stage. But in the afternoon I was able to get my confidence and I could push harder. I have Jari-Matti just two seconds behind and [Ott] Tanak closing the gap with every stage, so I don’t know what I will be able to do tomorrow. We are not in the fight for the win, but for the podium. I will try to find a good rhythm to stay on the podium.
And how do you feel physically?
I am always motivated, for sure the motivation is a bit different – I’m not here to win the championship, but I am here to help Hyundai take some points. I always want to fight for the victory if I can, that’s not the case here. It was a tough month of January with a lot of driving, but I enjoy driving and it’s a long time since I was here at the start in Monte Carlo. I always enjoy the incredible atmosphere on this rally.
How was the loop for you, Ott?
It was slippery, some places more than others. It was a big job reading the road and the conditions. But we made a good choice and I’m happy with the car and tyres; in a way we were safe, but it also looked like a smart choice.
Can you take confidence from tonight?
Definitely. It’s good to get a good start, but there’s a long, long way to go and, in a way, it won’t get easier it could get more tricky. There’s a big job to do and a lot of focus needed.
What was that second stage like?
It was 99 per cent full dry, maybe just two places with ice. In one place I was struggling to get out of the hairpin, but everywhere was else bone dry.
