Monte Carlo Rally’s Historic event, which takes place a week after the World Rally Championship season opener is set to finish, has been canceled by Automobile Club de Monaco, renewing concerns over whether the WRC round will still take place.
The Historic event and its Classic spin-off, for cars built before 1965, were called off after the French government announced a new nationwide curfew on Thursday.
Both are regularity rallies and utilize overnight stopovers at hotels, rather than returning to a central service park like their modern counterpart, with the ACM signifying “potential difficulties linked to the closing of accommodation infrastructures” as another key factor in its decision.
Organizing club ACM conceded the outcome “slowly became inevitable” in the lead up to both events’ cancellation.
Photo: Porsche AG
“We have special thoughts tonight for all our friends, be them competitors, marshals, volunteers, partners or elected persons, who are impacted by this cancellation,” said ACM’s general commissioner Christian Tornatore.
“However, we really had no other choice available, since the current situation does not allow us to organize this regularity competition in its usual friendly and festive spirit.
“Since the DNA of the race is not guaranteed anymore, it would be unreasonable to organize it without answer the usual expectations of the competitors.”
The French prime minister Jean Castex had confirmed a nationwide curfew from 1800 until 0600 starting from Saturday.
There is also a necessity for those traveling from outside the EU to quarantine on arrival in France. DirtFish understands this rule comes into force at midnight on Sunday.
