There’s no such thing as an easy rally in the FIA World Rally Championship and that’s certainly going to be the case with next year’s season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo, which gets underway in a little more than 50 days.
With a competitive distance of 465 kilometres over 18 stages, the route of the 81st running of the legendary event from 15-20 January is the longest since 1995.
Organisers, the Automobile Club de Monaco, have kept the opening two days (Wednesday 16 January and Thursday 17 January) largely unchanged from this year’s rally with a route around the city of Valence where the permanent service park is housed.
However, the itinerary for Friday 18 January - when crews begin the trek south to Monaco - gets a makeover with an all-new stage, Saint Nazaire le Desert to Le Motte Chalancon, and the return of the famous Sisteron test.
Measuring 36.70 kilometres in length, the Sisteron-Thoard stage will mark the final competitive action of day three before the overnight halt in Monaco ahead of the final five stages on Saturday 19 January.
The 60 highest-place crews in the overall classification with tackle three runs over the famous Col de Turini (Le Moulinet-La Bollene), including two under the cover of darkness, and two passes through Lantosque-Luceram, one by day and one by night. The final Lantosque-Luceram will form the event-closing Power Stage.
Shakedown is scheduled for Tuesday 15 January with the official starting ceremony taking place from 18:00hrs the same day. The traditional final podium will be in the grounds of the Place du Palais in Monaco at 11:00hrs on Sunday 20 January.