2013 Rallye Monte-Carlo: the preview

13.01.13
The 2013 Rallye Monte-Carlo marks the opening round of the series and the 40th anniversary of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The 2013 Rallye Monte-Carlo marks the opening round of the series and the 40th anniversary of the FIA World Rally Championship, the series having been inaugurated at the start of 1973 with this now world-famous event. Back then, the eight-day rally started with concentration runs from Almeria, Athens, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Monte-Carlo, Oslo, Reims, Rome and Warsaw - the average distances being in the region of 2,500 kilometres - before the crews met up for the start of the competitive action. The first-ever FIA World Rally Championship special stage was Col du Corobin, which ran at the end of the concentration runs to establish a classification before the start of what was then known as the ‘common run’. 

Remarkably, one competitor - the overall victor of the 1973 Rallye Monte-Carlo - will be participating in the 40th WRC anniversary event. “Biche”, who navigated Jean-Claude Andruet to victory in a Renault Alpine A110 and claimed the win ahead of Ove Andersson and Jean Todt, starts this year in car #73 (Mitsubishi Evo IX) alongside Italian Maurizio Verini.

Rallye Monte-Carlo is famous for its mixed conditions, most notably the potential combination of wet and dry tarmac, snow and ice, making tyre choice a critical factor. Competitors have a choice of four types of tyre and having the correct ones fitted at the right time is key to Monte-Carlo success.

RALLYE MONTE-CARLO – ROUTE GRAPHICS 
 
monte-carlo-stage-map-2013.jpg
   
THE 2013 ROUTE
   
The 81st Rallye Monte-Carlo starts in Valence on Wednesday 16 January with four stages in the south Ardeche region. On Thursday, the route takes the crews over two identical loops of three stages in the north Ardeche and also Haute Loire. Friday is competitively the shortest day of the rally and includes just 92 kilometres of action that takes the contenders to Monaco for the overnight halt. Saturday’s closing day - restricted to the top 60 classified crews only - covers the most famous stages of the event, with three runs over the legendary Col de Turini and two through Col St Roch, the latter the final test of the rally counting as the Power Stage.

RALLY DATA

Total distance:
Stage distance:
Number of stages:
1,820.45 km 
468.42 km
18

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

The Accreditation Centre is located at the Salle Vercors - Palais des Expositions - avenue Georges Clemenceau - 26000 Valence. The opening hours are:

Sunday 13 January
Monday 14 January
Tuesday 15 January
14.00 - 19.00 hrs 
09.00 - 20.00 hrs
09.00 - 20.00 hrs

RALLYE MONTE-CARLO TIMETABLE AND MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES ORGANISED BY THE FIA

Monday 14 January
Mandatory rally by rally photographers briefing, Media Centre
  
Tuesday 15 January
Shakedown (P1 and P2), Plateau Lautagne, Valence
Shakedown (P3 and private entrants), Plateau Lautagne, Valence
FIA Press Conference, Pavillon des Congres,
Salle de Conferences,Valence
Official photo-shoot, Champs de Mars, Valence
Presentation of teams and autograph session
   
Wednesday 16 January
First car arrives for mid-day regroup, service and Media Zone (Valence)
First car arrrives for final service and Media Zone (Valence)
  
Thursday 17 January
First car arrives for mid-day regroup, service and Media Zone (Valence)
First car arrrives for final service and Media Zone (Valence)
  
Friday 18 January
First car arrives for mid-day regroup, service and Media Zone (Valence)
First car arrives at Parc Fermé (Monaco)
  
Saturday 19 January
First service and Media Zone (Monaco)
First car arrives for re-group, service and Media Zone (Monaco)
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone (Monaco)
  
Sunday 20 January
Prize-Giving and podium ceremony, Place du Palais Princier
FIA Press Conference, Press Room, Monaco 
  
17:15 hrs
  
  
08:00-10:00 hrs
10:00-12:00 hrs
13:30 hrs
  
14:30 hrs
18:30 hrs
  
  
12:31 hrs
17:49 hrs
   
   
12:42 hrs
18:09 hrs
  
  
11:08 hrs
19:29 hrs
  
  
13:15 hrs
19:02 hrs
22:53 hrs
  
  
11:00 hrs
12:30 hrs

FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

Tuesday 15 January
(Valence)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sunday 20 January
(Monaco)
  
Esapekka Lappi, FIA WRC 2
Sepp Wiegand, FIA WRC 2
Sébastien Chardonnet, FIA WRC 3
Quantin Gilbert, FIA WRC 3
Sébastien Loeb
Mads Ostberg
Sébastien Ogier
Michal Kosciuszko
"Biche"
  
Winning FIA WRC 2 crew
Winning FIA WRC 3 crew
Top three crews in the overall classification
Representative of the winning entrant

ADDITIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES 

Autograph Signing Session: On Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday selected crews will be available for a 15 minute autograph session. This will take place in the service park during the end of day service at the teams’ service areas. 
  
STAGE CHART 

Shortly after the finish of the event, a downloadable stage chart showing the progressive positions of the leading crews during the rally will be available. This is copyright free for editorial purposes and available at the following link:

http://www.fia.com/championship/world-rally-championship/rallye-monte-carlo-stage-chart-2013