In order to determine the general frame of the inaugural event of World Rally Championship (WRC) 2018, the Organizing Committee of Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) honored its well-deserved reputation, once again, by creating a perfect blend of tradition and innovation: the proportion of new sectors will rise to 50% compared to the 2017 route. This 86th edition promises to leave no competitor indifferent…
After two and a half strenuous days for recce, from Monday January 22 at 8 o’clock to Wednesday 24 at 2 pm, all competitors cleared to race will be able to test in race conditions, from 4 pm, during the official shakedown session (3,35 km). This portion will be strictly identical, on La Garde road, within the limits of Gap city, to the one used in 2016 and 2017. Gap will welcome the rally for the 5th consecutive year and install the Service Park as always, near Monaco
The official start for 86th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo is scheduled for Thursday January 25, Casino Square in Monaco , from 5:50 pm onwards. During the first nightly leg, a couple of interesting special stages will be organized in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Thoard – Sisteron (SS1 – 36,69km - 9:43pm), raced in that direction for the very first time in WRC, will be followed by Bayons – Bréziers (SS2 – 25,49km - 10:51pm), already used in 2017. Two great scenes for major WRC contenders to start fighting in 2018.
On Friday January 26, crews will be heading south of Gap for the second day, with 150 km of special stages spread out over three departments (Hautes-Alpes, Drôme and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). This will be, by far, the most tiring day of the rally, with two loops of the same three remote special stages: Vitrolles – Oze (SS3/6 – 26,72km - 8:81am), Roussieux – Eygalayes (SS4/7 – 30,54km -10:04am / 3:11pm) and Vaumeilh – Claret (SS5/8 – 15,18km - 11:37am / 4:44pm).
Saturday January 27, north of Gap, will be just as tough as the previous days, with special stages based in the departments of Isère and Hautes-Alpes, and a double loop to start with, consisting of Agnières-en-Dévoluy – Corps (SS9/11 – 29,16km - 08:08am / 11:57am) followed by Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes – La Bâtie-Neuve (SS10/12 – 16,87km - 9:16am / 1:08pm). However, this 3rd day will not be over since the crews will be back, by daylight, in the same Bayons – Bréziers (SS13 – 25,49km - 4:09pm) stage as Thursday night, and then they will stop one last time at Gap Service Park before they drive back to Principauté de Monaco in the evening.
The conclusion of the rally, on Sunday January 28, will be made of four special stages (63.72km) with no chance of going through a Service Park in the steep hills of Alpes-Maritimes. So the drivers will go twice through La Bollène-Vésubie – Peïra-Cava (SS14/16 – 18,41km - 8:32am / 10:55am) and La Cabanette – Col de Braus (SS15/17 – 13,58km - 9:08am / 12:18pm) which will be used as a Power Stage at the end of the second loop.
At 3 pm, all deserving crews will be welcomed and honoured at the ritual Prize Giving Ceremony in front of
Monaco Prince’s Palace.
Monaco , July 21, 2017
Note: the length of the special stages is only indicative (and could be slightly different in the final version)
In order to determine the general frame of the inaugural event of World Rally Championship (WRC) 2018, the Organizing Committee of Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) honored its well-deserved reputation, once again, by creating a perfect blend of tradition and innovation: the proportion of new sectors will rise to 50% compared to the 2017 route. This 86th edition promises to leave no competitor indifferent…
After two and a half strenuous days for recce, from Monday January 22 at 8 o’clock to Wednesday 24 at 2 pm, all competitors cleared to race will be able to test in race conditions, from 4 pm, during the official shakedown session (3,35 km). This portion will be strictly identical, on La Garde road, within the limits of Gap city, to the one used in 2016 and 2017. Gap will welcome the rally for the 5th consecutive year and install the Service Park as always, near Monaco
The official start for 86th Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo is scheduled for Thursday January 25, Casino Square in Monaco , from 5:50 pm onwards. During the first nightly leg, a couple of interesting special stages will be organized in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Thoard – Sisteron (SS1 – 36,69km - 9:43pm), raced in that direction for the very first time in WRC, will be followed by Bayons – Bréziers (SS2 – 25,49km - 10:51pm), already used in 2017. Two great scenes for major WRC contenders to start fighting in 2018.
On Friday January 26, crews will be heading south of Gap for the second day, with 150 km of special stages spread out over three departments (Hautes-Alpes, Drôme and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). This will be, by far, the most tiring day of the rally, with two loops of the same three remote special stages: Vitrolles – Oze (SS3/6 – 26,72km - 8:81am), Roussieux – Eygalayes (SS4/7 – 30,54km -10:04am / 3:11pm) and Vaumeilh – Claret (SS5/8 – 15,18km - 11:37am / 4:44pm).
Saturday January 27, north of Gap, will be just as tough as the previous days, with special stages based in the departments of Isère and Hautes-Alpes, and a double loop to start with, consisting of Agnières-en-Dévoluy – Corps (SS9/11 – 29,16km - 08:08am / 11:57am) followed by Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes – La Bâtie-Neuve (SS10/12 – 16,87km - 9:16am / 1:08pm). However, this 3rd day will not be over since the crews will be back, by daylight, in the same Bayons – Bréziers (SS13 – 25,49km - 4:09pm) stage as Thursday night, and then they will stop one last time at Gap Service Park before they drive back to Principauté de Monaco in the evening.
The conclusion of the rally, on Sunday January 28, will be made of four special stages (63.72km) with no chance of going through a Service Park in the steep hills of Alpes-Maritimes. So the drivers will go twice through La Bollène-Vésubie – Peïra-Cava (SS14/16 – 18,41km - 8:32am / 10:55am) and La Cabanette – Col de Braus (SS15/17 – 13,58km - 9:08am / 12:18pm) which will be used as a Power Stage at the end of the second loop.
At 3 pm, all deserving crews will be welcomed and honoured at the ritual Prize Giving Ceremony in front of
Monaco Prince’s Palace.
Monaco , July 21, 2017
Note: the length of the special stages is only indicative (and could be slightly different in the final version)
Sebastien, a good day, but a bit of a moment this afternoon, tell us about that… SO: If I sit here in the middle it is not so bad, but the second part of the day was not so good. I lost 40s with the spin and for sure there are a couple of people I have to thank – they help me when I went off on the exit of the hairpin. Without that it would be a more comfortable lead. I’m enjoying the fight with my friend Ott – but tomorrow we have to be on it from the start.
Can you psyche him out? Inside he’s different he tries not to show it, if he comes too close I have to play a trick…
We expect a change of conditions tomorrow – what if it snows? It can be interesting and I’m happy I’m not first on the road if the snow is coming it can be difficult – I didn’t use this advantage today [of being first on the road], but without the spin it would be close. We struggle a bit with the tyre and weather information today, I think I need a word with Ott… we have the Estonian guy doing our forecast… Ott was right all the time and we were wrong! More seriously, tomorrow we have to be right [with tyre choice].
Ott, what an incredible first full day – did you imagine this was possible? OT: Definitely it would have been difficult to dream about this before the rally. For the moment we can’t complain, the conditions have been tricky this afternoon and the car is still going well. Since the beginning I had a good feeling in the car and that’s a good sign.
What can you do to get closer to Seb? As we can see today, he’s getting old and starting to do mistakes, he’s a bit sleepy in places, I don’t know what he’s doing… Tomorrow he will be more tired and more sleepy. No… Sebastien is strong, these are his home roads and we play in his backyard, it’s been enjoyable and now let’s see what’s possible.
Dani, what can we see from you tomorrow? DS: We do a couple of small mistakes with the tyres in difficult conditions today, we lost a bit of time. Sebastien was pushing really hard and his times were tough to follow, tomorrow will be a hard and long day – we’ll see what we can do.
Confident in the snow and ice? It will be difficult if it’s snowing – ok we already have one stage in snow and tricky downhill (Sisteron). It will be the same for everybody, we need the right tyres and we try to do our best.