Prince Seb!
After a 3-year absence from the World Rally Championship calendar, the Monte Carlo Rally returned in it as the first round of the series.
The Monte Carlo Rally was bigger than its last occasions, due to the freedom provided by the rules and the more sporting kilometers allowed for the Organizers. So, the rally consisted of five days (started on Wednesday and finished on Sunday) and 18 special stages. The weather was a critical factor, as usual in Monte, because of the ice in many places and the rain that made tire choices more complex.
During the first day of the rally, the Ford crews made the right tire choice, which helped the team leaders Jari Matti Latvala-Miika Anttila in getting the lead. The tire choice was an advice from Latvala's new teammate Petter Solberg and that's why the Finn thanked the Norwegian in the service. Despite the gap of 30 seconds that Latvala-Anttila had claimed from Sebastien Loeb-Daniel Elena, the Ford crew had an off and retired for the whole rally in their Ford Fiesta, since the Organizing Committee of the event chose not to apply SupeRally, which is, under the new FIA rules, optional for the Rally Organizers during 2012. After that, Sebastien Loeb-Daniel Elena took the lead in their factory Citroen DS3 and remained there until the end that meant their 6th victory in the Monte Carlo Rally.
Behind them, there was battle for second place, mostly between Dani Sordo-Carlos Del Barrio and Petter Solberg-Chris Patterson. The Mini crew was magnificent and despite a small off in SS2, benefited from its tarmac abilities and in combination to a correct tire choice on Friday, grabbed 2nd place. The new factory crew of Ford, Petter Solberg-Chris Patterson completed the podium, at the return of Solberg in the Blue Oval after 1999. The Norwegian was fast, set fastest times and his joy for the return in a factory seat could be seen by everyone throughout the event. Mikko Hirvonen-Jarmo Lehtinen finished in 4th place, at their first outing behind the wheel of their new car, the Citroen DS3 WRC. The Finns of Citroen had a cautious start in their 2012 WRC bid but towards the end of the rally got better and set some fastest times in special stages.
In 5th place, finished Evgeny Novikov-Denis Giraudet in a rally where the young Russian participated for the first time and in which he equalized his best WRC result after a solid run, in the Ford Fiesta of the second team of Ford, that is called M-Sport. The Russian was followed by the experience and grand maître of Monte Carlo Francois Delecour, who shared a Ford Fiesta with Dominique Savignoni. Delecour, 49, made a special gift to his friend who finished his rallying career after the Monte, since he made him driver for the Power Stage of the event.
Among the most important retirements of the rally was also that of Sebastien Ogier-Julien Ingrassia, in their first event as official crew of VW Motorsport. The Frenchmen, who will be sharing a Skoda Fabia S2000 for the whole year, where impressing with their stage times, as they were even in 4th place of the overall classification, before retiring after and off when being at 6th place. In parallel, the two Proton crews of Per Gunnar Anderssson-Emil Axelsson and Giandomenico Basso-Mitia Dotta both retired, in their first WRC outing. The Swedes were leading the SWRC category but retired on Saturday night, after a fire in their Proton Satria Neo S2000 caused by an oil leak, while the Italians had retired earlier, after an off. So, the winners of the SWRC category, which remains unclear if it will get the necessary participants for counting as an FIA Championship, was won by the Northern Irishmen Craig Breen-Gareth Roberts in a Ford Fiesta S2000.
FINAL RESULTS
|
1
|
S.Loeb-D.Elena |
Citroen DS3 WRC |
A/1
|
4:32:39.9
|
|
2
|
D.Sordo-C.Del Barrio |
Mini JCW WRC |
A/1
|
4:35:25.4
|
|
3
|
P.Solberg-C.Patterson |
Ford Fiesta RS WRC |
A/1
|
4:35:54.1
|
|
4
|
M.Hirvonen-J.Lehtinen |
Citroen DS3 WRC |
A/1
|
4:36:46.7
|
|
5
|
E.Novikov-D.Giraudet |
Ford Fiesta RS WRC |
Α/1
|
4:38:43.3
|
|
6
|
F.Delecour-D.Savignoni |
Ford Fiesta RS WRC |
A/1
|
4:40:27.8
|
|
7
|
P.Campana-S.De Castelli |
Mini JCW WRC |
A/1
|
4:41:11.3
|
|
8
|
O.Tanak-K.Sikk |
Ford Fiesta RS WRC |
A/1
|
4:43:14.5
|
|
9
|
M.Prokop-Z.Hruza |
Ford Fiesta RS WRC |
A/1
|
4:48:50.6
|
|
10
|
A.Araujo-M.Ramalho |
Mini JCW WRC |
A/1
|
4:48:56.5
|