The World Rally Championship season opens, as tradition dictates, on the storied roads of Rallye Monte Carlo—an event whose route has undergone notable revision for this year. The streets of Monaco, more commonly the domain of Formula 1 machinery, will once again echo to a different kind of motorsport theatre, as one special stage is contested within the Principality itself. Among the protagonists at the season opener is the Finnish pairing of Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen, as Pajari embarks on his second full season in the sport’s premier category at the wheel of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.
As ever, the capricious weather of the French Maritime Alps lends its own unmistakable flavour to the championship curtain-raiser. Snow, ice, damp asphalt and dry tarmac may all present themselves—sometimes within the same stage—and the anticipation surrounding this year’s event is no different: anything and everything is possible. The rally revolves around two distinct hubs: coastal Monaco and the inland town of Gap. Separated by nearly 250 kilometres by road, they are far from neighbouring locales. The itinerary as a whole has been comprehensively reworked, with the majority of the special stages not having been driven in their current form in recent years.
The official shakedown takes place on Wednesday afternoon in Gap, while competitive action properly gets underway on Thursday afternoon in Monaco. Three special stages are run into the gathering dusk before the rally caravan heads north to Gap for the night. Thursday’s programme comprises 60.76 competitive kilometres.
Friday’s stages are located to the southwest and west of Gap, featuring a loop of three special stages run twice, separated by a midday service in Gap, where crews will also spend the night. At 128.88 kilometres, Friday represents the longest day of the rally in terms of competitive distance.
Saturday consists of four special stages, three of them situated south of Gap. Following two stages, the crews return to Gap for daytime service, after which one further stage is run before the journey back toward Monaco. An intermediate remote service in Château-Arnoux ensures the cars are fully prepared for the evening’s showpiece: a special stage on the streets of Monaco itself. The stage largely follows the layout of the Formula 1 circuit, albeit in shortened form and punctuated by additional chicanes to tame the pace. Saturday’s stages total 77.61 kilometres.
Sunday’s finale features two special stages, each driven twice, located several tens of kilometres north of Monaco. The closing day accounts for 71.9 competitive kilometres. Of the rally’s total 339.15 kilometres against the clock, Friday alone comprises 38 percent—clearly the longest and potentially most decisive day.
The Finnish duo representing Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 completed a full day of pre-event testing in France. The Rally1 car remains largely unchanged from last season, a welcome continuity that allows the team to build directly upon the positive momentum with which the previous campaign concluded.
“There is an exciting sense of anticipation as I begin my second season with a Rally1 car,” Pajari reflects. “Last year was largely about learning, as most rallies were completely new to me in this car. However, the second half of the season kept improving event by event, and I feel more prepared and more competitive now.
The car is largely the same as last year, as are the tyres, which gives me peace of mind regarding their performance. Monte Carlo is perhaps the most challenging rally in the championship due to its hugely variable conditions. I hope to find a good rhythm for the event and truly enjoy the rally.”