Rallye Monte Carlo 2021 – The 110th Running of a Legendary Event
Check out why this year’s WRC season begins with a bang as is not to be missed.
So what’s the deal with rally anyway? Crazy purpose-built race cars flying through mud, snow, and dirt at ungodly speeds with drivers showing no apparent fear of death. Did it start this way? Well, far from it. In order to understand how we got to the opening race of the 2021 WRC season, the world-renown Monte Carlo Rallye, we need to go back about a century.
Back in 1910, the Prince of Monaco thought it was a good idea to host a “rally.” The original term stemming from the fact that drivers from all across Europe would finish the race by all “rallying” together to Monaco. Back then, the race was composed of wealthy individuals being driven by chauffeurs in what essentially was a luxury limo. We must understand that the average required speed to enter the rally was 16 mph at the time. Yes, there are human beings capable of running twice as fast as that with nothing but their own two feet.
Fast forwarding about a century, the event would evolve into its own entity completely composed of specialized rally cars sponsored by multi-billion dollar works manufacturers like Toyota and Hyundai. Now these cars go fast, really fast. Not to mention, there is a whole world championship specifically dedicated to rally, the FIA WRC (World Rally Championship). As you might imagine, putting Monte Carlo as your season opener is a hell of a way to start off! If you have never watched rally before now and love motorsports, this first stages should definitely be on your watch list.
Why? Well, there are a few critical changes happening to the WRC this season. 2021 marks an end to a class generation that has been dominant since 1997 known as the World Rally Car. The next-generation vehicle of the WRC will be known as “Rally1”, which presents a drastic change to the current regulations of the sport.
Included amongst these changes will be a big push for overall cost reduction of the vehicles and standardization of parts across manufacturers. Perhaps the most drastic change will be the replacement of the iconic 1.6L turbo-4 engines that had given modern rally cars their distinct and characteristic aggressive sound. Instead, we will be seeing the adoption of a hybrid platform for the first time, coupled with a naturally aspirated V8. That does sound interesting regardless, so you should expect some impressive vehicles for the next generation.
2021 will also mark an end to the career of the sport’s greatest drivers, seven-time world champion Sebastien Ogier, who will retire at the end of the season. He will be chasing his eighth world title in 9 seasons, an insane display of dominance and absolute skill that is still difficult to comprehend. Not to mention that Ogier has specifically won the Monte Carlo Rallye seven of those times with a host of different manufactures including Volkswagen and Ford to his current Toyota. Ogier is a one-in-a-lifetime driver and you will not want to miss his final season!
The Monte Carlo Rallye is infamous for being the toughest event of the year. While being an asphalt rally, unpredictable weather changes and different tire choices for team present interesting challenges for teams to consider. Some stages can present snow, ice, and completely dry conditions all within the same stage. It is said those who are able to read through the dynamic weather changes are those who usually end up victorious in Monte Carlo.
Friday’s action already saw a vicious crash of veteran driver Teemu Suninen‘s Ford Fiesta during the rain in the first stage, displaying Monte Carlo’s relentless nature. The race will last throughout the weekend and updates are always posted on the FIA World Rally Championship YouTube channel. If you enjoyed this weekend’s action, the rest of the season is going to be a hell of a treat. Stay tuned!
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