Monte-Carlo Rally 2021 Weekend at a Glance, itinerary and leading entries 18.01.2021: Rallye Monte-Carlo WRC Rally World Championship Round 1 January 21-24, 2021 • Rallye Monte-Carlo kicks off on Thursday with an opening ceremony in Gap followed by two late afternoon stages – Saint-Didier/Corps (20.58km) and Saint-Maurice/Saint

Rallye Monte-Carlo
WRC Rally World Championship Round 1
January 21-24, 2021




•    Rallye Monte-Carlo kicks off on Thursday with an opening ceremony in Gap followed by two late afternoon stages – Saint-Didier/Corps (20.58km) and Saint-Maurice/Saint-Bonnet (20.78km)


•    Friday’s action features an all-new challenge, covering almost 127km of competitive distance: two loops of Aspremont – La Bâtie-des-Fonts (19.61km) and Chalancon – Gumiane (21.62km) split by a single pass of Montauban-sur-l’Ouveze – Villebois-les-Pins (22.24km)


•    There are three stages on Saturday’s itinerary: two runs of La Breole/Selonnet (18.31km) and one of Saint-Clement/Freissinieres (20.48km) before teams head south to Monaco



•    The rally will come to a close on Sunday with two loops of Puget-Theniers/La Penne (12.93km) and Briançonnet/Entrevaux, the latter of which will form the 2021 Power Stage.





● The COVID-19 pandemic might have resulted in the shortest Rallye Monte-Carlo route in history at 257.64 competitive kilometres, but the mountainous stages, changeable weather conditions and road surfaces will still combine to make it
one of the toughest events on the world championship calendar.


● A founding round of the WRC in 1973, Rallye Monte-Carlo first took place in 1911 when 15 of the 20 starters made the finish led home by Frenchman Henri Rougier.


● But it was a Belgian who took victory on the 2020 running of the event, when Thierry Neuville shone for Hyundai Motorsport alongside then co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul for the Belgian crew and the team’s first Rallye Monte-Carlo triumph.


● The 89th edition, which marks the 110th anniversary of Rougier’s victory, runs out of Gap in the department of Hautes-Alpes as well as the neighbouring Alpes de Haute-Provence, Drôme and Isère, prior to the closing loop in the
Alpes-Maritimes.


● More than 85 per cent of the timed sections differ from 2020 although restrictions mandated to control the spread of COVID-19 required organisers to make myriad tweaks to the itinerary in the build-up to the rally.


● The tweaks have included cancelling stage eight on Friday and bringing forward the start times of the first three legs and all stages on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in order to observe strict curfews.


● With organisers electing not to schedule the traditional shakedown, the 2021 WRC season begins with the first of two Thursday afternoon stages around Dévoluy and Valgaudemar respectively.


● Friday’s route takes crews west of Gap. The morning loop consists of three stages followed by service in Gap. The loop includes the Montauban-surl’Ouvèze – Villebois-les-Pins stage, the longest of the rally at 22.24 kilometres.
However, in order to observe curfew restrictions there will be no second visit.


● Saturday’s leg is based east of Gap with two stages during the morning loop followed by a final service opportunity in the city before crews embark on the journey south to Monaco to prepare for Sunday’s closing leg. Four stages in the Alpes-Maritimes decide the event on Sunday with opportunities to add fresh fuel and tyres only.




DAY ONE: Thursday January 21, 2021


Start Gap 13h10

SS1 Saint-Disdier – Corps (Live TV) 20,58km 14h08

SS2 Saint-Maurice – Saint-Bonnet 20,78km 15h06




DAY TWO: Friday January 22, 2021



SS3 Aspremont – La Bâtie-des-Fonts 1 19,61km 06h10

SS4 Chalancon – Gumiane 1 21,62km 07h28

SS5 Montauban-sur-l’Ouvèze – Villebois-les-Pins 22,24km 09h01

SS6 Aspremont – La Bâtie-des-Fonts 2 19,61km 12h17

SS7 Chalancon – Gumiane 2 (Live TV) 21,62km 13h38





DAY THREE: Saturday January 23, 2021


SS9 La Bréole – Selonnet 1 18,31km 06h30

SS10 Saint-Clément – Freissinières 20,48km 08h18

SS11 La Bréole – Selonnet 2 (Live TV) 18,31km 12h08




DAY FOUR: Sunday January 24, 2021



SS12 Puget-Théniers – La Penne 1 12,93km 08h30

SS13 Briançonnet – Entrevaux 1 (Live TV) 14,31km 10h08

SS14 Puget-Théniers – La Penne 2 12,93km 10h45

SS15 Briançonnet – Entrevaux 2
(Power Stage – Live TV) 14,31km 12h18




LEADING ENTRIES*


1 Sébastien Ogier (FRA)
/Julien Ingrassia (FRA) Toyota Yaris WRC

33 Elfyn Evans (GBR)
/Scott Martin (GBR) Toyota Yaris WRC

8 Ott Tänak (EST)
/Martin Järveoja (EST) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

11 Thierry Neuville (BEL)
/Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

69 Kalle Rovanperä (FIN)
/Jonne Halttunen (FIN) Toyota Yaris WRC

3 Teemu Suninen (FIN)
/Mikko Markkula (FIN) Ford Fiesta WRC

6 Dani Sordo (ESP)
/Carlos del Barrio (ESP) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

44 Gus Greensmith (GBR)
/Elliott Edmondson (GBR) Ford Fiesta WRC

18 Takamoto Katsuta (JPN)
/Daniel Barritt (GBR) Toyota Yaris WRC

7 Pierre-Louis Loubet (FRA)
/Vincent Landais (FRA) Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

23 Oliver Solberg (SWE)
/Aaron Johnston (IRL) Hyundai i20 R5

    


Thomas Villette, Nicoletta Russo- photos archives AutoMobilSport.com