The WRC returns to your screens with Rallye Monte-Carlo on Red Bull TV this weekend 24.01.2018: The stars and cars of the World Rally Championship are back on the stages this week on Rallye Monte-Carlo, and they will be back on

The stars and cars of the World Rally Championship are back on the stages this week on Rallye Monte-Carlo, and they will be back on your screens with extended coverage on Red Bull TV for the 2018 season.



Last season was one of the most exciting in recent memory, so the anticipation is building ahead of the new campaign kicking off with one of the oldest and most prestigious rounds on the calendar.




Rallye Monte-Carlo: A rude awakening


The WRC crews don’t get to ease their way in after the winter break. Rallye Monte-Carlo is one of the most challenging events they face all year, mostly because of the weather conditions.
 


The twisting asphalt roads can be dry, wet, covered in snow or ice. Sometimes, these conditions will be present all within one stage.



This makes set-up and tyre choice in particular very hard for the teams and drivers. Getting it right can pay off massively, but getting it wrong can sometimes end all hopes of a good result.



To make things even more difficult, the action begins in darkness on Thursday evening with a pair of night stages, after the glamorous ceremonial start in Monaco.



The rally is then based in the French town of Gap - the home town of five-time world champion Sébastien Ogier - over Friday and much of Saturday, before it returns to Monte Carlo in preparation for Sunday's stages, which include the iconic Col de Turini.



Click here to watch Ogier testing his 2018 Ford Fiesta WRC on the mountainous French roads in December in preparation for Rallye Monte-Carlo: he plans to build on his speed this year and be faster than ever.

 



From the Dakar to the Monte: Cyril Despres and Stéphane Peterhansel trade their steering wheels for mics



Red Bull TV will show even more action and analysis from the WRC in 2018, including a new-look, expanded post-event Sunday show featuring full coverage from the Power Stage.



The brilliant Mike Chen and Matthew Wilson will be your guides to the action and will be joined by two men fresh from competing in another of motorsport's biggest challenges: the Dakar Rally.



They might not be WRC drivers but Stéphane Peterhansel and Cyril Despres have serious motorsports pedigree and remarkable winning records, with 18 Dakar triumphs between them. They have just spent much of January on the dusty tracks of Latin America and will share their unique insider viewpoints at the iconic WRC event: Cyril on Friday and Saturday and Stéphane on Sunday.




You can catch the shows at redbull.tv/wrc or via the Red Bull TV app, where they will remain available on demand so you can watch whenever and wherever you're connected, for free.




RED BULL TV BROADCAST SCHEDULE




Highlights show (40 min.) - Friday 26 January - 22:00 local time (CET)

Live coverage SS12 (80 min.) - Saturday 27 January - 12:45 local time (CET)

Highlights show (40 min.) - Saturday 27 January - 22:00 local time (CET)

Highlights show (up to 90 min.) - Sunday 28 January - 22:00 local time (CET)



 



Vera Dussausaye,  photos Red Bull content