The countdown is on! With less than 50 days to go until the 92nd Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, the Organising Committee of the 2024 WRC season’s first round organised a one-day rehearsal for its volunteers on Sunday December 3, 2023. On the agenda: training, practice and a review of their skills. For more than 40 years, the aim of the “Circuit Routier d’Instructions Commissaires” (C.R.I.C.) is to ensure that rally procedures and regulations are properly applied.

Nearly 165 volunteers from the Corps des Commissaires were mobilised to recreate a fictive rally, between the Chapiteau de Fontvieille in Monaco and the roads of the Monegasque hinterland. Over 100km and 3 Special Stages were on the agenda, with the Côte d’Azur sun shining down on the crews and volunteer teams this year.

“The C.R.I.C. comes after 2 theoretical sessions which gave to the marshals the opportunity to review the procedures, regulations and the IT tools used during the events” explains Cyril Vada, in charge of the formation and Deputy Race Director of the Monte-Carlo Rallies. Then comes the practical part.

After the briefings that kicked off the first part of the day, the volunteer teams were divided up along the route and put through their paces in real-life conditions, with around 20 competitors in attendance. “Our Marshals were confronted with several different situations: special stage interruptions, incidents and race facts, special stage start suspensions, late check-in, etc“.

Observers and evaluators were present to check and grade the level of each marshal and chief officer, following the example of what is put in place in the spring for the circuit training course. “Their reactions and attitudes are carefully scrutinised“. A level of requirement that is in keeping with the spirit of the Corps of Commissaires. “We are the only organisers involved in the World Rally Championship to offer our marshals this kind of training. “

Next up in January 2024 for the Rallye Monte-Carlo WRC (22-28/01) and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique (31/01-07/02).