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Monte Carlo Rallye Historique 2012

2012-01-18 14:35

What: 15th Monte Carlo Rallye Hstorique
Where: Valence and Monaco
When: 28 January to 4 February
Web: www.acm.mc

No sooner is the Monte Carlo Rally done and dusted than it's time once more for the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, which this year celebrates its fifteenth anniversary. From Saturday 28 January until Saturday 4 February, competitors from all over Europe will congregate in and around Monaco to test their driving skills on some of the most challenging routes anywhere in the world.

But before that, of course, they'll have to get here - and that's not always as simple as it sounds in cars which, according to the rules, must be manufactured between 1955 and 1980! About 300 teams will be starting off a day or two before the from a number of cities which helped to forge the reputation of the Rallye Monte-Carlo: Barcelona, Glasgow, Oslo, Reims, Turin and Warsaw.



The first competitors to set off on this 15th historic rally will leave from Oslo on the morning of Sunday 29th January 2012 followed by those from Warsaw and Glasgow respectively. Teams from Barcelona, Turin and Reims set off the next day. All meet on Tuesday 31 January.

Among the notable cars to look out for this year are the Lancia Fulvia HF of Sandro Munari (who will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of his 1972 victory in the Monte Carlo Rally), three Renault R5 Alpines, and three historic Citroens - including a red and pink 1969 ID 20 driven by Christine Dacremont and Françoise Conconi. Also taking part will be Danish driver Lars Baekkelund in a Fiat 128, Claude Laurent in a Citroen GS and local driver Patrick Magaud in a Volkswagen Golf.

In addition to the major European makes, there will also be a range of East European names, among them Gaz, Moskvitch, Skoda, Trabant and Zastava. The oldest car to take part, starting from Glasgow, is a 1950 Allard, celebrating the 60th anniversary of its 1952 Monte Carlo victory.



Programme

On 1 February drivers and navigators set off from Monaco to Valence, capital of the Drôme region, for the classification leg. On Thursday a 318km circuit takes place from and to Valence, and on Friday a longer leg of 414km sees the teams make their way back to Monaco before a final 404 km-long circuit of Monaco on the final night of competition.