Rallye WRC Monte Carlo 2019

[EstWRC]

When do they make a call on the tyre choice?
In service before they go to the ceremonial start?
Or after the ceremonial start?

2 hours before stage, tyre choice

[Fast Eddie WRC]

@autosport
5m5 minutes ago
Snowfall is expected to complicate tonight's opening Monte Carlo WRC stages, with Ogier and Loeb predicting action and incident.

[itix]

Surprised to see so few Meeke fans shout in joy over him being fastest.

I was expecting the thread to be overflowing with "yeee m8, ar boi is gonna take the championship" and similar crap from people who have no understanding of the long game what so ever.

It will be an interesting rally nonetheless.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

[itix]

Thought nobody did that in rallying anymore. I was sure that was something we left behind with the group B mentality of "we're all invincible".

[EstWRC]

conditions of SS1 https://twitter.com/FRST_CH/status/1088475188348502016

[Fast Eddie WRC]

AUTOSPORT:

World Rally champions Sebastien Ogier and Sebastien Loeb predict that late snowfall will make Thursday night's opening two stages of the Monte Carlo Rally extremely challenging.

WRC crews face a pair of 12-mile tests in the mountains to the east of the event's host town of Gap, but the opening mileage of the 2019 season has been complicated by snow falling after Wednesday's recce.

Follow the Monte Carlo Rally with Autosport Live from 6.30pm UK time tonight

After a shakedown stage run in dry, sunny conditions, snow and ice are expected on the after-dark Le Breole-Selonnet opener.

"The snow has certainly made things interesting," said Ogier. "There is a lot of change in the conditions, with a lot of snow and ice in places - we can expect things happening tonight.

"Tonight's not a time to win the rally, but certainly you could lose it."

Loeb said the snowfall had changed his approach to his opening evening with the Hyundai team.

"It's difficult to know much about tonight, but the rally will be very different to shakedown," said Loeb.

"The conditions will be difficult and many things can happen tonight.



"I'll try to stay on the road and not make mistakes or go too hard.

"I hope the feeling comes and I can fight at the front in the dry tomorrow."

To complicate matters further, much of the opening evening's action is new.

"I come from this area, but many of these stages are new for me - I have never been in these at all," Ogier said.

"But I like this feeling. It's the same for everybody: we make our notes and then we go for it."


British WRC 2 Pro driver Gus Greensmith added that the change in conditions took everybody by surprise.

"We went through the stages on the recce and then a couple of hours later, after the snow had arrived," he said.

"We got some pictures - it looked like a totally different road. That's Monte Carlo for you."

[stefanvv]

Is that the tyre choices on wrc+

[mknight]

Surprised to see so few Meeke fans shout in joy over him being fastest.

They are too busy praying he keeps it on the road.

[er88]

conditions of SS1 https://twitter.com/FRST_CH/status/1088475188348502016

Not covered in snow then, so don't see any big disadvantages for Seb and the other few guys at the front.