FASTIME page 19
Today Monte-Carlo takes place in January and provides the finishing line for the first Intercontinental Rally Challenge of the year, with 2011 seeing drivers starting from Glasgow, Barcelona, Warsaw and Marrakesh.
The Monte-Carlo Rally usually comprises of 18 stages raced over three days, racing night and day. As it is a winter rally, the weather plays a crucial part in the proceedings – from snow and ice to sharp winter sun. And because of the different starting points, different drivers experience different conditions. . The rally has always attracted the top drivers – and the top cars. And because the rules of all rally challenges are that the cars must be road legal, rally models see modifications tried and tested before they are introduced to production models.
Indeed, the idea for the first race was to enable manufacturers to test cars in different conditions. The Monte-Carlo Rally has over the years, attracted teams from Renault, Fiat, Ford, Jaguar, BMC and Lancia, which have all taken prizes. In the 1960s it was dominated by Britain’s Mini-Coopers, and was the testing ground for what became known as the ‘Super Minis’. Winning the rally, throughout its history, gives car models credibility – as well as a very large dose of publicity beyond the world of car buffs. Chris Ward says: “There is something inspirational about rally driving. The endurance and driving skills of the drivers, the technical performance of the cars that are built to manage so many different road conditions, and the beauty of the car design.
“We like to think that we bring the same values to our watches – precision manufacturing, top technical performance and the most resonant design,” he says.
This year’s January rally attracted 39 top drivers in cars from makes as diverse as Peugeot, Proton and Skoda. Aptly, the winner Frenchman Bryan Bouffier, who drove a Peugeot, stepped on the Place du Palais Princier podium on January 22 – taking pole position in an IRC rally for the first time, and making the centenary event a thoroughly French affair.
22 24/7 Orderline 0844 875 1515
PRE-ORDER NOW for June
C70 MC £375.00 C70 Monte-Carlo Marking the 100th anniversary of the Monte-Carlo
Rally, Christopher Ward has added the C70 Monte- Carlo to its collection. While forming part of the Grand Prix range, the C70 Monte-Carlo has its own distinctive look, featuring the colours and icons of the Principality of Monaco.
To view the full C70 Series see the Directory on pages 39-42 or visit
www.christopherward.co.uk
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