WRC: A "Monte" not quite as usual 🎥
COMPACT WRC CURRENT The Rally Monte Carlo is taking a slightly different course than usual this week. However, there will be no change in the level of difficulty, which will also be felt by some Swiss drivers. With the "Monte", the 2021 World Rally Championship starts into the last season of the current WRC generation and possibly also of defending champion Sébastien Ogier. The premier event of the World Rally Championship in the Maritime Alps [...]
The "Monte" in 2021 marks the start of the final season of the current WRC generation and possibly also of defending champion Sébastien Ogier.
The premier event of the World Rally Championship in the Maritime Alps above the Principality of Monaco opens the season again this year. Thanks to the support of the motorsport sovereignty FIA, the WRC promoters and the Automobile Club of Monaco as the organizer, all challenges could be solved in advance to be able to hold it reasonably according to plan.
Not for morning grouches
With 14 special stages (SS) over just 257.64 kilometers, the 89th edition since 1911 is very compact. This is due to the current health situation in France, as well as the advanced schedule, which favors early risers. On Friday and Saturday mornings in particular, the first participants take to the course after dark.
Other tires
A number of unknowns await all participants. Above all, the three double SS on Friday's stage in the departments of Hautes-Alpes and Drôme are new territory for them. Added to this is the switch to Pirelli rally tires, on which all World Rally Cars will be running again from this season.
And last but not least, of course, the notoriously changeable weather and road conditions of the "Monte". The forecasts for the Maritime Alps predict mixed weather.
From dry to damp and wet asphalt to snow and ice on the mountain passes, everything is possible - on one and the same special stage. This makes tire selection particularly difficult for teams and drivers, as they experienced as recently as the WRC finale in and around Monza in early December.
Actually without spectators
However, fans at home will have to do without a "Night of the Long Knives" in front of their receivers, as well as passages over the legendary Col de Turini. Spectators are excluded from the World Cup opener in view of the still rampant Corona pandemic. It can be assumed that fans who are familiar with the area will nevertheless be hiding along the routes...
Cinematic view of this year's course. There is no SS8 (cancelled). The 2021 "Monte" is shorter than usual, but no less demanding.
Proven lineups
Unlike in Formula 1, there were no changes in the driver line-ups of the top teams. The world champion duo Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia, the runners-up Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin and the young Finns Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen will be chasing points in their Yaris WRCs for Toyota Gazoo Racing. It's quite possible that this could be the last full WRC season for seven-time world champion Ogier.
Hyundai tackles the title defense in the prestigious Team/Manufacturer classification as it did last year with Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja, Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe from Belgium and Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio on Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC.
Ford M-Sport entrusts its two Fiesta WRCs to the duos Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula and Gus Greensmith/Elliott Edmondson.
Four pilots from western Switzerland at the start
Four of the 84 teams are from Switzerland. The indestructible Olivier Burri from the Jura is taking on the queen of all rallies for the 23rd time with his regular co Andersson Levratti from France in a VW Polo GTi R5.
The "Monte", on the other hand, is new territory as a driver for Mike Coppens with co-driver Fabrice Gordon (F), who, like his sponsor Philippe Roux, drives a Skoda Fabia R5.
For Burri, who has already been successful several times, it's all about winning or at least a podium place in the amateur classification in the RC2 category, which has 15 teams. For Coppens, it's about learning and getting there. For Roux, a former ski racer and rally driver who has not been active for a long time, navigated by his son Christophe, it's primarily about taking part. After all, his last Monte race was 13 years ago.
Sacha Althaus and partner Lisiane Zbinden will start with a Peugeot 208 R2. A year ago, the 2019 Swiss junior runner-up retired on his debut on the way to a possible fifth class place on the final day due to a defect. He is now certainly capable of a podium.
Live on Servus TV
Reports from the World Rally Championship starting in Monte Carlo can be seen from this year on the Servus TV channel, which is also free to air in Switzerland. For exact broadcast times, see TV programs on the Internet and in the cable TV program details.
Start list Rally Monte Carlo 2021
