The route for the final round of the 2021 World Rally Championship – the Monza Rally – has been revealed with a 50/50 split between circuit and closed-road mountain stages.
Monza joined the WRC calendar late last year as a late COVID-19 stand-in given the vast number of event cancellations throughout 2020.
This year the event is back under a similar premise, replacing the canceled Rally Japan on November 19-21.
Like in 2020, this year’s Monza Rally comprises 16 special stages but the number of tests ouside the confines of the Italian Grand Prix venue has increased.
Photo: M-Sport World Rally Team
While last year there were just six stages in the Bergamo mountains and 10 at the circuit, in 2021 that equation has shifted with eight stages at Monza and a further eight on closed public roads.
The rally begins on Friday with the Gerosa stage – the test that caught out Elfyn Evans and wrecked his championship bid last season – before Costa Valle Imagna. These stages will be repeated once more before the rally heads back to Monza for three more stages: Junior 1, Junior 2 and Grand Prix.
Saturday takes places predominantly in Bergamo, just as it did last year. San Fermo is a new stage to the WRC but Selvino returns from a year before and runs in exactly the same configuration. Roggia concludes the day back at Monza.
Sunday is exclusively at Monza and comprises just three stages. The first is a second attempt at the Grand Prix test that concluded Friday before two runs of Serragilo which will double up as the powerstage on the second pass.
In total, Monza Rally offers 158 miles of competitive stages.
Monza Rally 2021 itinerary:
Friday November 19
SS1: Gerosa 1 (6.89 miles)
SS2: Costa Valle Imagna 1 (13.77 miles)
SS3: Gerosa 2 (6.89 miles)
SS4: Costa Valle Imagna 2 (13.77 miles)
SS5: Junior 1 (9.3 miles)
SS6: Junior 2 (9.3 miles)
SS7: Grand Prix 1 (6.34 miles)
Saturday November 20
SS8: San Fermo 1 (8.98 miles)
SS9: Selvino 1 (15.57 miles)
SS10: San Fermo 2 (8.98 miles)
SS11: Selvino 2 (15.57 miles)
SS12: Roggia 1 (9.23 miles)
SS13: Roggia 2 (9.23 miles)
Sunday November 21
SS14: Grand Prix 2 (6.34 miles)
SS15: Serragilo 1 (8.97 miles)
SS16: Serragilo 2 (8.97 miles)
