Rallye Monte Carlo 2014

[pettersolberg29]

Bouffier is a cert for Monte, 99% chance it'll be a Fiesta. Would love to see Delecour again too!

[jacko]

Delecour confirms Monte return:

Former world rally star Francois Delecour will return to the Monte Carlo Rally next year, two years since he last contested the event. Delecour, 51-year-old, will drive an M-Sport Fiesta RS WRC, with backing from Romania’s tourist board (like 2012), in the Monte Carlo Rally next month.

On that previous occasion the Frenchman finished sixth – ahead of a number of rising stars – and this time his aim is to go one better, co-driven as always by Dominique Savignoni: who actually drove the final stage of the rally in 2012.

“Being realistic, I’m going to aim for fifth – and even that will be a very big challenge,” Delecour said. “But at least we can take Sebastien Loeb out of the equation, so that’s already a place gained for me! I also think it’s asking a lot from Hyundai to be competitive on their first Monte. So we know who our direct rivals will be and if things go well for us, we could be fifth. Whatever happens, I’m going to really enjoy it. I love this rally and I’m looking forward to driving there already.”

Delecour will test the Fiesta RS WRC in early January, prior to his 98th WRC start and his 17th in the Principality.

[Allyc85]

Great to see Francois out again

Whats the best thing to do about mobile internet down there? Im guessing buying a pre-paid sim from a local company (Recomendations?) is the way forwards?

[Tom206wrc]

A secret driver will drive a Balbosca Peugeot 207 S2000 in Rallye Monte Carlo. Nicola Arena was the co-driver. Tests today...

It was Matteo Gamba

[edmundas]

It is the first time I am going to the Monte Carlo Rally. And I was wondering about road conditions in the special stages. Are there any stages which are usually covered with snow or ice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday? If not, for which stages are the biggest possibility to be covered with snow or ice? Because I would prefer to watch the rally cars on snowy roads.

[kornes]

How far in advance closed sections? It would be possible to go to the ES1 going through the 3rd ES?

[bluuford]

Great to see Francois out again

Whats the best thing to do about mobile internet down there? Im guessing buying a pre-paid sim from a local company (Recomendations?) is the way forwards?

From my experince with some people on the stage giving weather data.. quite often, there is no coverage on the mountains.. not even mobile connection. back-up is always radio.

[Mirek]

It is the first time I am going to the Monte Carlo Rally. And I was wondering about road conditions in the special stages. Are there any stages which are usually covered with snow or ice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday? If not, for which stages are the biggest possibility to be covered with snow or ice? Because I would prefer to watch the rally cars on snowy roads.

This edition is from majority new compared to last years. The rally center of first days was moved from Valence to Gap and majority of the stages were not used for ages. As far as I know the area shall have generally more snow than Valence region but with RMC You never know. I was there four times and the weather was varying very much. SS3/6 was used in IRC years (in longer variant) and usually was covered by snow. In 2009 and 2010 it was awesome one but I admit I have always been in the part which is cut away for 2014.

Generally when the weather is not clear for snow and ice I would choose high altitude places in the shadow of the mountains or under the trees. You can have completely dry southern slopes while northern ones are covered by snow in the same time. On the other hand if You choose one two hundred meters long icy patch of two dry stages You would only see a slow motion rallying so always think about which tyres they could use for Your loop before choosing place. Also if it starts raining on a thick ice it's usually very boring to watch. They drive very slowly in the ruts. I would also choose uphill sections if I knew they are on wrong tyres.

[Mirek]

From my experince with some people on the stage giving weather data.. quite often, there is no coverage on the mountains.. not even mobile connection. back-up is always radio.

I can confirm as I tried to inform Bluuford myself For example in 2011 the famous tyre disaster... I was there and we all saw how it looked there but there was no GSM signal anywhere around.

[tommeke_B]

http://www.inforoute05.fr/wir3/document ... C_2014.pdf

Some info concerning stages (and shakedown) near gap, with road closure times etc.