2014 Rallye Monte-Carlo – Preview

The 82nd edition of the famous Rallye Monte-Carlo kicks off the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship season and is set to provide challenging conditions for contenders old and new. Reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier will be starting his title defence on home territory, the Frenchman was born in the city of Gap where the rally is now based.

Thierry Neuville was Ogier’s greatest rival last season, the Belgian finishing second in the Championship. This season, however, he is aboard the all-new Hyundai i20 WRC which makes its debut competitive outing on Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Both the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team and M-Sport World Rally Team have exciting new driver line-ups, former Formula One driver Robert Kubica is committed to a World Rally Car programme, and both Andreas Mikkelsen and Martin Prokop return for another season of competition.

The FIA WRC 2 and FIA WRC 3 Championship contenders also kick off their campaigns on Rallye Monte-Carlo and a total of 72 crews – including a host of private entrants – will take the start, which this year takes place at the Place du Casino in the Principality of Monaco.

RALLYE MONTE-CARLO – ROUTE GRAPHICS
 
 

THE 2014 ROUTE

This year’s route has been substantially modified due to the event’s new location in the Hautes-Alpes around Gap. Thursday’s route covers two loops of three stages centred around the Gap service park. Friday includes two runs over legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo stages before the crews head south for the final Clumanc-Lambruisse stage run in darkness. After this, a well-earned overnight halt in the Principality of Monaco. Saturday’s final day of competition is a classic with two loops of two famous stages, the first loop run in daylight and the second in darkness. The final stage of the rally – Sospel-Breil Sur Roya – will run as the Power Stage.

RALLY DATA

Total distance: 1,396.76 km
Stage distance: 383.88 km
Number of stages: 15