2014 Rallye Monte-Carlo - Preview

12.01.14

 

The 82nd edition of the famous Rallye Monte-Carlo kicks off the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship season and is set to provide challenging conditions for contenders old and new. Reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier will be starting his title defence on home territory, the Frenchman was born in the city of Gap where the rally is now based. Thierry Neuville was Ogier’s greatest rival last season, the Belgian finishing second in the Championship. This season, however, he is aboard the all-new Hyundai i20 WRC which makes its debut competitive outing on Rallye Monte-Carlo. Both the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team and M-Sport World Rally Team have exciting new driver line-ups, former Formula One driver Robert Kubica is committed to a World Rally Car programme, and both Andreas Mikkelsen and Martin Prokop return for another season of competition.

The FIA WRC 2 and FIA WRC 3 Championship contenders also kick off their campaigns on Rallye Monte-Carlo and a total of 72 crews – including a host of private entrants – will take the start, which this year takes place at the Place du Casino in the Principality of Monaco.

RALLYE MONTE-CARLO – ROUTE GRAPHICS
 
 stage map.jpg

THE 2014 ROUTE

This year’s route has been substantially modified due to the event’s new location in the Hautes-Alpes around Gap. Thursday’s route covers two loops of three stages centred around the Gap service park. Friday includes two runs over legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo stages before the crews head south for the final Clumanc-Lambruisse stage run in darkness. After this, a well-earned overnight halt in the Principality of Monaco. Saturday’s final day of competition is a classic with two loops of two famous stages, the first loop run in daylight and the second in darkness. The final stage of the rally – Sospel-Breil Sur Roya – will run as the Power Stage.

RALLY DATA

Total distance:
Stage distance:
Number of stages:
1,396.76 km
383.88 km
15

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

The Rallye Monte-Carlo media and accreditation centres are in Monaco (4 Quai Antoine 1er) and Gap (Hôtel Le Mas d’Estello, La Plaine, 05130 Tallard). The opening hours for accreditation are:

Monaco:
Sunday 12 January
Monday 13 January
Tuesday 14 January

Gap:
Tuesday 14 January
Wednesday 15 January

14:00 – 20:00 hrs 
09:00 – 20:00 hrs
09:00 – 14:00 hrs


14:00 – 21:00 hrs
08:00 – 20:00 hrs

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

Monday 13 January
Mandatory rally by rally photographers briefing, Press Room, Monte Carlo
Official photo-shoot, Place du Palais, Monte-Carlo
Ceremonial Start, Place du Casino, Monte-Carlo

Tuesday 14 January
FIA Press Conference, Press Room, Monte-Carlo

Wednesday 15 January
Shakedown (P1 and P2), Chateauvieux
Shakedown (P3 and non-priority), Chateauvieux
Autograph session, Gap city centre (P1 and P2 drivers)
Autograph session, Gap city centre (P3 and non-priority drivers)
Promotional activities, Alp’Arena, Gap (P1 drivers + guests)

Thursday 16 January
First car arrives for mid-day regroup, service and Media Zone (Gap)
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone (Gap)
End of day Press Conference, Service Park, Gap

Friday 17 January
First car arrives for mid-day regroup, service and Media Zone (Gap)
Regroup and Media Zone, Digne Les Bains (media room in the Mairie)
First car arrives at Parc Fermé (Monte-Carlo, early check in permitted)
(15’ mandatory attendance by drivers in the Media Centre after TC11A)

Saturday 18 January
First service and Media Zone (Monte-Carlo)
Top three Press Conference, Service Park, Monte-Carlo
First car arrives for re-group, service and Media Zone (Monte-Carlo)
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone (Monte-Carlo)

Sunday 19 January
Prize-Giving and podium ceremony, Place du Palais Princier, Monte-Carlo
FIA Press Conference, Press Room, Monte-Carlo

17:30 hrs
19:30 hrs
20:15 hrs


11:00 hrs


08:00-10:00 hrs
10:00-12:00 hrs
16:00-17:00 hrs
17:00-18:00 hrs
17:00-18:00 hrs


11:39 hrs
17:43 hrs
During 45’ service


11:41 hrs
15:47 hrs
20:45 hrs



12:27 hrs
During the 45' service
17:01 hrs
22:25 hrs


11:00 hrs
12:30 hrs

FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

Tuesday 14 January
(Monte-Carlo)








Sunday 19 January
(Monte-Carlo)
Armin Kremer, FIA WRC 2 Championship
Julien Maurin, FIA WRC 2 Championship
Robert Barrable, FIA WRC 2 Championship
Quentin Gilbert, FIA WRC 3 Championship
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Motorsport
Kris Meeke, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
Elfyn Evans, M-Sport World Rally Team
Thierry Neuville, Hyundai Motorsport
François Delecour

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 Thursday 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:

www.fia.com/championship/world-rally-championship/2014/rallye-monte-carlo-stage-chart