Following Eurosport Events’ landmark coverage of Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2009 and 2010, when it showed virtually every stage live, the promoter of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge is planning another world television first when it uses SimulCam technology on the centenary edition of the legendary competition this week.
SimulCam, which has never been used in coverage of rallying on television before, will allow viewers at home to watch two drivers competing on the same section of a special stage at the same time to discover who is the fastest.
It will record drivers covering part of a stage, of approximately one kilometre in length, at different times. The footage will then be composited into a single screen sequence showing two IRC drivers seemingly competing together, which will be transmitted shortly after the leading runners have completed the stage.
This will allow viewers to compare the different driving styles of each competitor, their trajectory through corners, when they brake and accelerate, their comparative speed and the handling characteristics created by different choices of car and tyre. This level of in-depth analysis is unparalleled in the coverage of Rallye Monte-Carlo on TV.
SimulCam technology will be used on special stages one, three and four on Wednesday 19 January and stages six and eight on Thursday 20 January.
“Every year we look to improve our live television coverage of the IRC and the use of SimulCam is the latest in a long line of innovations,” said Gilbert Roy, the Director of Editorial and Programme Development for Eurosport Events. “Rallying is not like some other sports where you see competitors competing together at the same time. Because we want our coverage of the IRC to appeal to a wide spectrum of people, the use of SimulCam will give those viewers who may be new to rallying the chance to see two drivers effectively racing against each other to see who is the fastest. For the enthusiasts, it will provide a level of comparison previously unavailable in the coverage of rallying on television.”
Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel, will show 14 hours of coverage of Rallye Monte-Carlo across its various platforms, Eurosport, Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Asia-Pacific. It will cover 12 of the 13 special stages live as they happen. Footage will be captured from onboard cameras, stage-side cameras and a special helicam. Reporters based at the end of stages and in the service parks in Valence and Monaco will gather reaction from the competing drivers and teams to provide viewers with the complete picture of the opening round of the 2011 IRC.
The extensive live transmissions will also be accessible through Eurosport Player, the channel’s online live simulcast service, while video footage will be available at eurosport.com websites, the official IRC website (rally-irc.com) and via the IRC iPhone App. 

SimulCam technology for live IRC Rallye Monte-Carlo coverage

www.rally-irc.com

THE CHALLENGE
The Intercontinental Rally Challenge is back with a bang. A little more than two months after the
2010 season drew to a dramatic close in Cyprus, the IRC is getting ready to celebrate its fifth
anniversary on possibly the most iconic rally in the world.
Rallye Monte-Carlo has defined not only the history of rallying, but also the history of motorsport as
a whole. The very word ‘rally’ derives from what used to happen in Monte-Carlo: competitors would
set off from all four corners of Europe and ‘rally’, in other words, meet, in Monaco to celebrate the
end of a unique event.
This year is particularly significant, as the very first Rallye Monte-Carlo was held in 1911, making
2011 the centenary of the event. For the third consecutive year this epic challenge marks the
opening round of the IRC: the jewel in the crown of the series calendar.
Event organiser, the Automobile Club de Monaco, has introduced a number of initiatives to
celebrate this year’s important anniversary, including free entries for the capacity 120 crews. But
the most enduring feature is the use of traditional stages that have formed the backbone of the
event, including the famous Col de Turini tests that make up the climax of the competition on
Friday night (January 21).
The cutting-edge 300-horsepower Super 2000 cars that will fight for victory would be
unrecognisable to Henri Rougier, winner of the 1911 event at the wheel of his 25 horsepower
Turcat-Mery. A well-known aviator and adventurer, he would later go on to win the Legion
d’honneur: France’s highest honour to a civilian.
But there are many aspects to the route that would still be familiar to Rougier: the need to tip-toe
the car across ice and snow-coated surfaces too slippery to stand on, and the enthusiastic crowds
lining the route from Valence, the capital of France’s Drome department, to the finish in Monaco’s
harbour front in the early hours of Saturday morning (January 22).
The event gained popularity over the years as the ultimate test of any car’s performance and
versatility. Victory on Rallye Monte-Carlo would guarantee headlines and therefore awareness and
sales, so manufacturers became more and more professional in their attempts to win what was
simply known as ‘the Monte’.
By the 1960s, the event was being contested by factory teams and well-known foreign drivers such
as Erik Carlsson, who took the first of his two Monte victories in a diminutive Saab 96, against
much more powerful opposition from Mercedes-Benz and others.
This was a huge part of the appeal of the event: the emphasis was firmly on driving skill and
technical ingenuity rather than horsepower or budgets. The same is true now. A well-driven car
could slay giants, and there is no better example than the years of domination by Mini in the mid to
late 60s. “It may not have been the quickest thing up the mountain,” remembers Paddy Hopkirk, a
well-known former winner in the Mini Cooper. “But there was nothing that could keep up with it
downhill!”

Throughout the early 1970s, the Monte belonged to ‘Il Drago’: Sandro Munari, in the fire-breathing
Ferrari-engined Lancia Stratos. Other star names on the winner’s trophy include Jean-Pierre
Nicolas, now the IRC’s Motorsport Development Manager, who triumphed in 1978, as well as
multiple winners Walter Rohrl (1980-1982-1983-1984), Carlos Sainz (1991-1995-1998) and more
recently Sebastien Loeb (2003-2004-2005-2007-2008).
One of the major changes in the recent history of Rallye Monte-Carlo took place in 2009, when it
became part of the IRC. This allowed the ACM to run the event to its traditionally unique format
and it also opened up the rally to a whole new audience thanks to the arrival of breath taking live
television from Eurosport on virtually all of the stages.
Sebastien Ogier was the winner that year in a Peugeot 207 run by the BFGoodrich Drivers’ Team,
underlining the IRC’s commitment to bringing on young talent. Freddy Loix finished second ahead
of Stephane Sarrazin, making it an all-Peugeot podium. At the same time, the new Skoda Fabia
S2000 made its international debut, setting a stunning pace straight out of the box.
There was another exciting debut in 2010, when M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta S2000 took part in its first
rally. Mikko Hirvonen claimed a mesmerising victory in the new car, ahead of the Skodas of Juho
Hanninen and Nicolas Vouilloz. A cumulative reach of twelve million different viewers was able to
watch him do it on Eurosport, live as it happened.
“Winning Rallye Monte-Carlo is something very special in any driver’s career,” said Hirvonen on
the podium. “It’s not until you actually have the trophy in your hand that you realise what it really
means. I’ll never forget this.”
2011 Rallye Monte-Carlo centenary edition
Following three days of reconnaissance from Saturday 15 until Monday 17 January, this year’s
Rallye Monte-Carlo gets underway on Wednesday 19 January with the first of 13 special stages.
Day one features four taxing stages in the Ardeche and Haute Loire regions, including the longest
two tests of the rally, the 36.87-kilometre Le Moulinon-Antraigues stage and the 41.06-kilometre
Burzet-St Martial run, which are separated by a tyre change halt in Vals les Bains. Both stages are
part of Rallye Monte-Carlo legend and return to the itinerary after several years’ absence.
Thursday’s action features two loops of mountainous stages run twice north-east of Valence and
separated by a service stop in the city. Following a final service halt in Valence on Friday morning,
crews begin the 390-kilometre journey to Monaco via the last Drome stage, Montauban sur
l’Ouveze-Eygalayes. Upon arrival in Monaco, cars enter parc ferme while the drivers and codrivers
are able to rest before the four night stages in the Alpes Maritimes.
However, only the leading 60 competitors at the completion of the Montauban sur l’Ouveze stage
will be permitted to tackle the nighttime tests, in keeping with one of the event’s long-standing
traditions.
The winner is likely to be known at approximately 00:30hrs on Saturday 22 January with the prizegiving
taking place in the Place du Palais at 11:00hrs.

THE COMPETITORS
Rallye Monte-Carlo organisers have attracted a plentiful and star-studded entry that befits the
event’s centenary celebrations. Indeed, such was the demand for spaces, that the original ceiling
of 100 cars had to be increased by 20. After receiving more than 300 requests, the ACM made a
selection to ensure both professional and amateur drivers could take part.
Juho Hanninen, the defending IRC champion, heads the starters in his Skoda Motorsport Fabia
Super 2000. The Finn finished second on Rallye Monte-Carlo last year after leading in 2009 and is
now as equally adept on asphalt as he is on gravel. Hanninen is joined in the Czech Republic team
by Jan Kopecky, runner-up in the IRC for the last two seasons, 2008 IRC champion Nicolas
Vouilloz from France, and Belgian Freddy Loix, whose tally of six IRC wins is more than any other
driver has achieved in the series.
Several Skoda importers will be represented on the IRC season-opener. Norwegian Andreas
Mikkelsen will turn out for Skoda UK, while Skoda Auto Deutschland will make its IRC debut with a
Fabia for 23-year-old German Mark Wallenwein.
Peugeot has also recruited a quality line-up to pilot its trio of works-assisted 207 Super 2000s.
Norway’s Petter Solberg, the 2003 world rally champion, has extensive Monte-Carlo experience
and will be backed up by reigning French champion Bryan Bouffier and Le Mans 24 Hours racer
Stephane Sarrazin, who finished third on Rallye Monte-Carlo in 2009. Legendary French driver
Francois Delecour will also be at the wheel of a 207 S2000.
Guy Wilks joins Peugeot UK for 2011 after switching from the rival Skoda UK squad. Bruno
Magalahes will continue to represent Peugeot Sport Portugal and will be looking to build on the
maiden victory he achieved last season. Rising star Thierry Neuville will line up for Team Peugeot
Belgium-Luxembourg.
Finn Toni Gardemeister has twice finished on the Monte-Carlo podium and will drive a 207 on a
rare international outing, as will four-time IRC event winner Giandomenico Basso from Italy. Petter
Solberg’s older brother Henning will be in action in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000, which is also
the car of choice for French driver Julien Maurin.
PROTON Motorsports is entering a brace of Satria Neo S2000s for Australian Chris Atkinson and
Swede P-G Andersson. The Malaysian manufacturer’s rally partner MEM has conducted an
extensive overhaul of the Satria Neo as it seeks to unlock the car’s potential.
Ex-Formula One driver Alex Caffi makes his Rallye Monte-Carlo debut in a Skoda Fabia, while
former Ferrari F1 driver Patrick Tambay’s son Adrien will drive an R3T-specification 207 alongside
experienced navigator Denis Giraudet.
Maurizio Verini, a one-time Italian and European rally champion, will compete in a Ralliart
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. The 67-year-old was once co-driven by Marcello Lotti, the General
Manager of the IRC. Austrian promise Andreas Aigner and Irish privateers Daniel Barry and
Eamonn Boland will also represent the Japanese make.

Multiple Swiss champion Florian Gonon is the lead Subaru Impreza driver in the field, while Czech
Vojtech Stajf will also compete in an Impreza and his previous Monte-Carlo experience.
IRC 2WD Cup
Interest in the IRC 2WD Cup has rocketed over the winter following a change to the regulations to
increase the scope of drivers and cars allowed to take part. Previously, competing crews had to
use cars from the registered IRC manufacturers to score IRC 2WD Cup drivers’ points, although
competitors using Clio R3s were allowed to accumulate points on the three Clio R3 European
Trophy events that ran in tandem with IRC rounds during 2010.
However, from this season the rules will be relaxed to enable drivers in any two-wheel-drive rally
car built to Group A, Group N and Group R regulations to be eligible for the IRC 2WD Cup drivers‘
title, although only those car makes registered as an IRC manufacturer will be permitted to score
manufacturers‘ points.
Young Briton Harry Hunt returns to defend his title in a Citroen DS3 R3 following his switch from an
M-Sport Ford Fiesta. He will face strong opposition from Clio R3 drivers Pierre Campana, Andrea
Crugnola and Eric Mauffrey, fellow DS3 exponents Marc Amourette and Mathieu Arzeno, Honda
Civic runners Lionel Comole and Marcel Piepers, French promise Jeremi Ancian in a 207 and a
host of drivers in Abarth’s 500 R3T, including former IRC 2WD Cup frontrunner Manuel Villa.
THE EXPECTATIONS
Chris Atkinson (Australia), PROTON Satria Neo S2000: “Starting the season with the Monte is
awesome. I’ve always gone well on the event, but it is really tough. You never know what’s coming
around the next corner: it could be dry asphalt, wet asphalt, snow or ice.”
Bryan Bouffier (France), Peugeot 207 S2000: “This will be my second experience of Rallye
Monte-Carlo. Like always I am confident in myself but this event is never easy with the weather
changing all the time and the tyre choices always difficult to make.”
Juho Hanninen (Finland), Skoda Fabia S2000: “Of course I want to win but it depends so much
on the conditions and how fast the French drivers will be. If we have dry Tarmac then I think it will
be very difficult for me to win. If there is snow and ice then I will be much more confident.”
EXTENSIVE LIVE TV COVERAGE
Eurosport will broadcast more than 14 hours of coverage from the 13 stages including 12 shown
live as they happen on its various platforms: Eurosport, Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Asia-Pacific.
The extensive live transmissions will also be accessible through Eurosport Player, the channels’
online live simulcast service, while video footage will be available at eurosport.com websites, the
official IRC website rally-irc.com and via the IRC iPhone App. Eurosport will also broadcast a
series of short historic programmes and clips in the build up to the event with 15 one-minute
programmes dedicated to a variety of specific themes.

Eurosport’s coverage of Rallye Monte-Carlo will be shown as follows (all times are shown in CET):
Wednesday 19 January
10:00hrs-11:00hrs: LIVE SS1 Le Moulinon-Antraigues (Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
11:30hrs-12:45hrs: LIVE SS2 Burzet-St Martial (Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
14:00hrs-15:00hrs: LIVE SS3 St Bonnet-St Bonnet (Eurosport & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
16:00hrs-17:15hrs: LIVE SS4 St Bonnet-St Bonnet (Eurosport & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
19:45hrs-20:15hrs: Highlights of Day One (Eurosport & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Thursday 20 January
12:15hrs-14:00hrs: LIVE SS5 St Jean en Royans-Font D’Urle and LIVE SS6 Cimetiere de
Vassieux-Col de Gaudissart (Eurosport 2 & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
16:00hrs-17:45hrs: LIVE SS7 St Jean en Royans-Font D’Urle and LIVE SS8 Cimetiere de
Vassieux-Col de Gaudissart (Eurosport & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
19:30hrs-20:00hrs: Highlights of Day Two (Eurosport & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Friday 21 January
18:45hrs-20:45hrs: Highlights of SS9 Montauban sur l’Ouveze-Eygalayes, LIVE SS10 Moulinet-La
Bollene-Vesubie and LIVE SS11 Lantosque-Luceram (Eurosport & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
23:00hrs-01:00hrs: LIVE SS12 Moulinet-La Bollene-Vesubie and LIVE SS13 Lantosque-Luceram
(Eurosport & Eurosport Asia-Pacific)
Sunday 23 January
19:45hrs-20:15hrs: Rally Review (Eurosport)
EVENT ESSENTIALS
Event: Rallye Monte-Carlo
Base: Valence
Starts: Valence, Tuesday 18 January
Finishes: Monte-Carlo, Saturday 22 January
Entries received: 120
IRC appearances: Two (2009 and 2010)
2009 winners: Mikko Hirvonen (FIN)/Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN) M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000
Surface: Asphalt
Number of stages: 13
Special stage distance: 337.06 kilometres
Liaison distance: 1004.69 kilometres
Total distance: 1341.75 kilometres
Itinerary (all times shown are local):
Day one (Wednesday 19 January):
Special stages: Four
Special stage distance: 128.37kms

Liaison distance: 248.10kms
Total distance: 376.47kms
Start: Valence, 09:00hrs
SS1: Le Moulinon – Antraigues* (36.87kms), 10:05hrs
Tyre Service: Vals (0:10hrs), 10:55hrs
SS2: Burzet – St Martial* (41.06kms), 11:40hrs
SS3: St Bonnet Le Froid – St Bonnet Le Froid* (25.22kms), 14:11hrs
Tyre Service: Lalouvesc (0:15hrs), 14:56hrs
SS4: St Bonnet Le Froid – St Bonnet Le Froid* (25.22kms), 16:20hrs
Service A: Valence (0:45hrs), 18:15hrs
Day two (Thursday 20 January):
Special stages: Four
Special stage distance: 94.36kms
Liaison distance: 214.46kms
Total distance: 308.82kms
Service B: Valence (0:20hrs), 11:00hrs
SS5: St Jean en Royans – Font D’Urle* (23.05kms), 12:23hrs
SS6: Cimetiere de Vassieux – Col de Gaudissart* (24.13kms), 13:04hrs
Service C: Valence (0:20hrs), 14:44hrs (regroup at 14:29hrs)
SS7: St Jean en Royans – Font D’Urle* (23.05kms), 16:07hrs
SS8: Cimetiere de Vassieux – Col de Gaudissart* (24.13kms), 16:48hrs
Service D: Valence (0:45hrs), 18:13hrs
Day three (Friday 21-Saturday 22 January):
Special stages: Five
Special stage distance: 114.33kms
Liaison distance: 542.13kms
Total distance: 656.46kms
Service E: Valence (0:20hrs), 06:30hrs
SS9: Montauban sur l’Ouveze – Eygalayes (29.89kms), 09:08hrs
Monaco Parc Ferme: 4:45hrs), 13:53hrs
Service F: Monaco (0:23hrs), 17:44hrs
SS10: Moulinet – La Bollene Vesubie* (23.41kms), 19:15hrs
SS11: Lantosque – Luceram* (18.81kms), 19:58hrs
Service G: Monaco (0:20hrs), 21:57hrs (regroup at 21:10hrs)
SS12: Moulinet – La Bollene Vesubie* (23.41kms), 23:25hrs
SS13: Lantosque – Luceram* (18.81kms), 00:08hrs
Service H: Monaco (0:10hrs), 01:20hrs
Prize-giving: Place du Palais Princier, 11:00hrs
* = Live on Eurosport.

LEADING ENTRIES
1 Juho Hanninen (FIN)/Mikko Markkula (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000
2 Petter Solberg (NOR)/Chris Patterson (GBR) Peugeot 207 S2000
3 Jan Kopecky (CZE)/Petr Stary (CZE) Skoda Fabia S2000
4 Bryan Bouffier (FRA)/Xavier Panseri (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
5 Freddy Loix (BEL)/Frederic Miclotte (BEL) Skoda Fabia S2000
6 Francois Delecour (FRA)/Dominique Savignoni (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
7 Nicolas Vouilloz (FRA)/Benjamin Veillas (FRA) Skoda Fabia S2000
8 Stephane Sarrazin (FRA)/Jacques-Julien Renucci (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
9 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR)/Ola Floene (NOR) Skoda Fabia S2000
10 Guy Wilks (GBR)/Phil Pugh (GBR) Peugeot 207 S2000
11 Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/Tomi Tuominen (FIN) Peugeot 207 S2000
12 Henning Solberg (NOR)/Ilka Minor (AUT) M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000
14 Bruno Magalhaes (POR)/Paulo Grave (POR) Peugeot 207 S2000
15 P-G Andersson (SWE)/Emil Axelsson (SWE) PROTON Satria Neo S2000
16 Giandomenico Basso (ITA)/Mitia Dotta (ITA) Peugeot 207 S2000
17 Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Nicolas Klinger (FRA) Peugeot 207 S2000
18 Mark Wallenwein (GER)/Stefan Kopczyk (GER) Skoda Fabia S2000
19 Chris Atkinson (AUS)/Stephane Prevot (BEL) PROTON Satria Neo S2000
34 Andreas Aigner (AUT)/Daniela Ertl (AUT) Ralliart Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
35 Florian Gonon (SUI)/Sandra Arlettaz (SUI) Subaru Impreza WRX
IRC 2WD Cup (selected entries)
61 Harry Hunt (GBR)/Seb Marshall (GBR) Citroen DS3 R3
63 Andrea Crugnola (ITA)/Rudy Pollet (ITA) Renault Clio R3
64 Marcel Piepers (NED)/Erik de Wild (NED) Honda Civic Type R
68 Jeremi Ancien (FRA)/Damien Mezy (FRA) Peugeot 207 R3T
70 Manuel Villa (ITA)/Bernardo Serra (ITA) Abarth 500 R3T
IRC ROLL OF HONOUR
Overall drivers
2010: Juho Hanninen (Finland)
2009: Kris Meeke (United Kingdom)
2008: Nicolas Vouilloz (France)
2007: Enrique Garcia Ojeda (Spain)
Overall manufacturers
2010: Skoda
2009: Peugeot
2008: Peugeot
2007: Peugeot

IRC 2WD Cup drivers
2010: Harry Hunt (United Kingdom)
2009: Denis Millet (France)
2008: Marco Cavigioli (Italy)
IRC 2WD Cup manufacturers
2010: Peugeot
2009: Peugeot
2008: Peugeot
KEY STATISTICS
Rally wins (drivers)
Freddy Loix (Belgium): 6
Juho Hanninen (Finland): 5
Kris Meeke (United Kingdom): 5
Giandomenico Basso (Italy): 4
Luca Rossetti (Italy): 4
Jan Kopecky (Czech Republic): 4
Nicolas Vouilloz (France): 3
Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar): 1
Anton Alen (Finland): 1
Paolo Andreucci (Italy): 1
David Higgins (United Kingdom): 1
Mikko Hirvonen (Finland): 1
Bruno Magalhaes (Portugal): 1
Jarkko Miettinen (Finland): 1
Andrea Navarra (Italy): 1
Sébastien Ogier (France): 1
Carl Tundo (Kenya): 1
Guy Wilks (United Kingdom): 1
Rally wins (manufacturers)
Peugeot: 20
Skoda: 11
Abarth: 6
Ralliart: 3
M-Sport: 2

Skoda Motorsport has revealed a new livery for its brace of official factory Fabia Super 2000s that will contest the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo from January 18-22.
The new design, which has been commissioned to mark Skoda’s 110 years of motorsport participation, will appear on the Fabias of reigning IRC champion Juho Hanninen, from Finland, and his team-mate, the Czech Republic driver Jan Kopecky.
According to the Czech manufacturer, the “new green and white combination is reverse” of the design used during the past two seasons.
Ten Fabia S2000s will be in action on Rallye Monte-Carlo, where Skoda finished second and third last season, 12 months after making its IRC debut on the asphalt event.
In addition to guiding Hanninen to the IRC drivers’ crown in 2010, Skoda also secured the IRC manufacturers’ award for the first time.

The Skoda Motorsport Fabia S2000s will have a new look in Monte-Carlo

Historic programmes to celebrate Monte centenary

Eurosport, the international media partner of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the promoter of the IRC through Eurosport Events, will help to celebrate Rallye Monte-Carlo’s centenary with a series of short historic programmes and clips featuring archive images and highlights of the event since it first ran in 1911.
From this Saturday (8 January), Eurosport will screen unique and exclusive footage from the legendary rally through 15 one-minute programmes dedicated to a specific theme. These include a look back at the Group A and Group B eras, profiles of event legends, heroes and the French Musketeers, Lancia’s domination of the rally over the years, female success including Pat Moss and Michelle Mouton and a focus on the Col de Turini at night.
Each programme will be shown on Eurosport on several occasions as a teaser ahead of the IRC season-opener and will also be screened during the extensive live coverage of the rally, which includes broadcasting 12 of the 13 stages live as they happen. The programmes will also be available on the official IRC website, www.rally-irc.com once the event gets underway on Wednesday 19 January.

Bouffier confident for strong Monte run

Bryan Bouffier believes his lack of Rallye Monte-Carlo experience won’t put him at a disadvantage when he contests the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season-opener from 18-22 January.
The defending French rally champion made his debut on the legendary event last season, retiring his Subaru Impreza from a possible point-scoring finish with a mechanical failure. He will return for a second attempt this year in a Peugeot Sport-prepared 207 Super 2000.
He said: “This event is never easy with tyre choice making a big difference. I also don’t have much experience but I am in a fantastic position. I am in a very good team with two other very good drivers and this means I am highly motivated and full of confidence.”
Bouffier began his preparations for the centenary edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo with a three-day test in the south of France last month. He completed one day on dry asphalt and two days on snow-coated roads.
“It was good training for the rally because we were able to adapt the set-up of the car to the conditions quite well and I don’t have a big experience of driving on snow so it was good for this reason also,” said Bouffier.

Bryan Bouffier is confident of a strong Monte-Carlo run

Solberg brothers set for Monte battle

Brothers Henning and Petter Solberg will continue their friendly rivalry when they contest Rallye Monte-Carlo later this month.
The Norwegians will both be making their debuts in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with Henning piloting an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000 and Petter lining up in a Peugeot 207 S2000. Both have prior knowledge of Rallye Monte-Carlo, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
Henning Solberg will link up with Austrian navigator Ilka Minor, who has recovered from injuries sustained in a crash on a round of her national championship last season. Chris Patterson, who hails from Northern Ireland, will partner Petter Solberg.
Although Petter has enjoyed a more successful career than his older brother, it will be Henning who will potentially have the upper hand on Rallye Monte-Carlo thanks to his greater experience of driving Super 2000 machinery.
“We have been competing against each other for many years now so this is nothing different,” said Petter Solberg. “Like me Henning is there for the passion and loves to drive. He’s two years older than me but I don’t think either of us gets any smarter with age. He just has more experience.”

Henning Solberg has recent Super 2000 experience

Home success boosts IRC rookie Wallenwein

Mark Wallenwein plans to carry the momentum gained from winning the final round of the German championship last season when he makes his Intercontinental Rally Challenge debut on Rallye Monte-Carlo later this month.
Wallenwein, who joins the select group of German drivers with IRC experience, will pilot a Skoda Auto Deutschland Fabia Super 2000 on the centenary edition of the legendary event.
The 23-year-old prepared for his IRC debut by contesting five rounds of his domestic series in 2010, winning the final round and claiming podium finishes on three other occasions in his first season of four-wheel-drive competition.
“Everything will be new for me but I am planning to be as best prepared as possible and try to get to the finish,” said Wallenwein. “I won the final event of the season in Germany last year and this will help my confidence although I know the [regular] IRC drivers are very fast. The weather and the tyre choice will be big factors so I plan to find a good rhythm and learn as much as possible.”
Wallenwein, who began competing aged 17 and is the third generation of his family to go rallying, says his programme beyond Monte-Carlo has yet to be finalised.

Wilks praises co-driver Panseri

Guy Wilks has paid tribute to Bryan Bouffier’s co-driver Xavier Panseri after the Frenchman deputised for Wilks’ regular navigator Phil Pugh during a pre-Rallye Monte-Carlo test last month.
Wilks and Pugh were due to test near the event’s base in Valence but Pugh was prevented from travelling to the test after heavy snow closed the majority of the United Kingdom’s airports and resulted in a spate of flight cancellations.
Anxious not to miss out on the opportunity to sample a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 for the first time, Wilks called on Panseri to accompany him during the daylong test.
“My flight was one of the last to make it out but Phil’s was cancelled and he couldn’t get to the test,” said Wilks, who will drive for Peugeot UK in the 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge. “I spent two and a half hours phoning around to come up with a plan and thankfully Xavier agreed to stay on for an extra day following his test with Bryan. He did a very, very good job, considering he admits he’s not very confident in speaking English.”
Wilks will complete his preparations for Rallye Monte-Carlo, which will receive extensive live television coverage on Eurosport, with a two-day test in France next week.

Petter Solberg has vowed to fight for victory when he makes his Intercontinental Rally Challenge debut on Rallye Monte-Carlo next month.
The former world rally champion will drive a Peugeot Sport-run 207 Super 2000 on the asphalt classic, which he has contested on eight previous occasions.
"For sure there are many drivers doing the event who have much more experience in Super 2000 cars while I have none," said Solberg. "But I have a lot of experience on the rally and I know what can go wrong so I will be prepared. Like every other rally I do I will be thinking to push and to win and I will come up with a proper plan and strategy to do that."
The 36-year-old from Norway continued: "I like the rally a lot even though I have not always had the best result. Because it will be the 100-year anniversary the rally will be very, very special."
Solberg and Northern Irish co-driver Chris Patterson will be among 120 crews taking part on the event, which runs from 18-22 January and will be televised live on Eurosport. They will get their first experience of the 207 they will use on the event during a test in France early next month.

Petter Solberg is aiming for Rallye Monte-Carlo victory

Mixed weather test boosts champion Hanninen

Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Juho Hanninen says changeable weather during a test in France last week has boosted his chances of winning Rallye Monte-Carlo for the first time.
Finn Hanninen finished second on the event last January and will be among the favourites for victory in his Skoda Motorsport Fabia Super 2000. The event has a reputation for unpredictable weather conditions with snow and ice a frequent hazard for the crews.
"We had dry Tarmac then wet Tarmac and then snow and ice so it was all the conditions that we could possibly have on the rally," said Hanninen, 29. "We were also able to see how the tyres performed in the different conditions so we got some useful data."
Hanninen will test again in Czech Republic in early January alongside a number of other Skoda drivers. "We’ll have real winter then so it will be good preparation also."

Atkinson ready for Monte’s massive challenge

Chris Atkinson says he is relishing the prospect of contesting Rallye Monte-Carlo for PROTON Motorsports, despite acknowledging the "massive challenge" he will encounter on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge season opener, which runs from 18-22 January.
Australian Atkinson, who made his IRC debut for the Malaysian squad on last June’s Geko Ypres Rally, has prior experience of the asphalt event, which will celebrate its centenary next month.
He said: "Starting the season with the Monte is awesome. As a rally driver, this is the traditional place where we always start our year. I’ve always gone well on the event, but it is really tough. Running high in the Alps in January, you never know what’s really coming around the next corner: it could be dry asphalt, wet asphalt, snow or ice. It’s a massive challenge for the team and the driver, with one of the most important aspects being to get the [choices of] tyres right."
Atkinson, 31, will be partnered in the British-based PROTON team by Swede P-G Andersson on Rallye Monte-Carlo.

PROTON’s Chris Atkinson is set for the challenge of Monte-Carlo

Swiss star Gonon back in the IRC

Florian Gonon will return to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge on Rallye Monte-Carlo next month, less than six months after clinching the Subaru Individual Award on the Geko Ypres Rally.
The 2009 Swiss rally champion finished 16th overall on the Belgian event to clinch the Subaru-backed accolade, which was handed out to the highest-placed driver in one of the Japanese manufacturer’s cars on rounds of the IRC in 2010.
He will make his IRC comeback in an N12-model Impreza on Rallye Monte-Carlo alongside navigator Sandra Arlettaz. Their planned appearance follows on from finishing second overall on Rallye International du Valais in Switzerland last October. That event counted as a round of the IRC in the past and includes some stages that are similar in layout to those found on the 2011 IRC opener.
Gonon’s Subaru will run under the Annie Spiers Rallye Team banner. Michael Burri and Stephen Rey will also represent Switzerland on the centenary edition of the famous event.

Rallye Monte-Carlo media accreditation

Media representatives planning to attend Rallye Monte-Carlo have until 7 January to apply for accreditation at:
http://www.acm.mc/ramc/2011/docs/formulaire_accreditation_en_2011.pdf.
Holders of or those planning to apply for a permanent IRC press credential, which grants access to all 12 IRC events, do not have to apply for round-by-round accreditation but must email media@ircseries.com to confirm their event attendance throughout the season.

New Year wishes from the IRC Team

The IRC Team wishes you a Happy New Year 2011:
http://www.ircseries.com/html/video-home/ecard_irc.html