Two cars with remarkable number plates have already been spotted among the competitors in this 8th E-Rallye Monte-Carlo. Not only does the superb Lexus RZ 450 of the Belgian Gego Team bear the number 35, with Belgian drivers Alexandre Peeters and Romain Lahaye on board. It is also registered Lexus-1, which is perfectly legal, thanks to the kindness of the authorities in the Plat Pays! As for the blue Tesla in the colours of Fun Drive Monaco, a car rental agency, it has a Monegasque 007 plate, in memory of James Bond.
Winner of Group N in the Promotion category at the 1988 Monte-Carlo Rally in a Renault 5 GT Turbo, Richard Frau is back at the Monte-Carlo a few years later, still in a Renault 5. But everything has changed, not least the engine, since it is the 100% electric version, recently unveiled at the Paris Motor Show and christened “Evolution”, that the driver from the south of France is bringing into competition. On Thursday evening, he was 56th overall, carrying number 60.
A little surprise for the competitors on Thursday afternoon at the finish in Entrevaux after the RS6: Jean-Luc Filippi, also known as “the doc”, an historic steward of Automobile Club de Monaco, offered fruit and delicacies on a small ACM tray, in the manner of ushers in the cinemas of the last century. Many appreciated the gesture before heading back to Monaco.