[WRC] Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo 2026

[Coach 2]

There is a collar at the bottom of the 15 mm studs approved by the FIA. As you have already mentioned Pluto, FIA regulation..
By heating, then cooling down, this collar will stick. This applies to studs of any size, including those for the northern part of Europe.
The point is that this heating/cooling cycle is no longer necessary as a form of preparation in the north, based on the glue used and that the heat cooling occurs during SS1 (or where you have changed to new wheels). More precisely: the glue is so effective that the need to attach the collar (at the bottom of the stud) to avoid fading when the rubber gets hot, is eliminated.
When this heating/cooling effect occurs, the stud will stick with a little more protrusion. If you do not do this before the start of the test, this effect will occur somewhat late. This is of course desirable if you start in the lowlands on dry or wet asphalt and get cold snow further inland (higher latitude), but not if there is ice or snow already from the start. Then you have to do this on the transport stage.

PS.Back in the day I think you had to go over 60/80 degrees Celsius and cool down to below 40 before the rubber cracked and the collar snapped.
When Kullæng beat Blomqvist in 1980 he said his victory was mainly due to the fact that he had a friend who had cycled countless times on frozen water to have perfect tires for the long stage on Saturday/Sunday night, 43k.
Maybe this is still necessary with the FIA ​​studs regulation, Oliver's explanation suggests I might be right.

[Steve Boyd]

Are there the same regulations for studded tires in all French races in the winter (asphalt/gravel) as there are in RAM-C?
If so, do other countries in the region (on the continent) have the same or similar regulation?

Studded tyres not allowed in UK.

[Steve Boyd]

Thanks, that's what I assumed.

The studs looked virtually flush with the rubber when they showed a feature on the tyres with the Hankook guy.

FIA regulations say that the stud on the tarmac tyre used for Monte must not protrude more than 2 mm. I think that is to minimise damage to the tarmac where there is no snow or ice.
For the studded snow tyre used in Sweden & similar rallies the stud length is limited to 20 mm, but the protrusion is not specified.