The 2022 World Rally Championship kicks off in traditional fashion with the 90th edition of the famous Monte Carlo Rally.
It’s hard to remember a WRC event as keenly anticipated as the 2022 Monte due to the series going hybrid for the very first time, but there’s plenty about the rally itself to get excited about before you even consider the fact it will usher in a brand-new generation.
Here’s all the key information you need this week:
Entry breakdown
Total 74 crews
11 Priority 1 crews
28 Priority 2 crews (WRC2)
4 Priority 3 crews (WRC3)
Rally1
Eleven of the Rally1 cars will take the start on round one: four Toyotas, four M-Sport Fords and three Hyundais.
Sébastien Ogier will lead the crews away on the first evening as 2021 world champion swiftly followed by team-mate Elfyn Evans and then Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.
Oliver Solberg competes in the third i20 with Dani Sordo’s Rally1 debut not expected for another couple of months, while it’s only Gus Greensmith of the 11 top class starters that isn’t eligible for manufacturer points.
Sébastien Loeb has been drafted in to score points for M-Sport alongside new recruit Criag Breen and Adrien Fourmaux, while the fourth Toyota of Takamoto Katsuta won’t contribute to Toyota Gazoo Racing’s cause but will score for the new Toyota Gazoo Next Generation Team.
1 Sébastien Ogier/Benjamin Veillas (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)
33 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)
11 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)
69 Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)
8 Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)
18 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)
42 Craig Breen/Paul Nagle (Ford Puma Rally1)
44 Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Ford Puma Rally1)
16 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Ford Puma Rally1)
2 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)
19 Sébastien Loeb/Isabella Galmiche (Ford Puma Rally1)
WRC2
As what was WRC2 and WRC3 last year has been amalgamated into just WRC2 – albeit with Junior and Masters segregation for most crews – a bumper 28 Rally2 cars will take the start in Monaco.
Reigning champion Andreas Mikkelsen leads the way alongside new co-driver Torstein Eriksen but is far from the only ex-factory driver on the entry list.
20 Andreas Mikkelsen/Torstein Eriksen (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
21 Marco Bulacia/Marcelo Der Ohenassian (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
22 Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
23 Yohan Rossel/Benjamin Boulloud (Citroën C3 Rally2)
24 Eric Camilli/Yannick Roche (Citroën C3 Rally2)
54 Stéphane Lefebvre/Andy Malfoy (Citroën C3 Rally2)
25 Chris Ingram/Ross Whittock (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
26 Sean Johnston/Alex Kihurani (Citroën C3 Rally2)
27 Erik Cais/Petr Těšínský (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
28 Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)
29 Johannes Keferböck/Ilka Minor (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
30 Freddy Loix/Pieter Tsjoen (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
31 Oliver Burri/Anderson Levratti (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
32 Pierre Ragues/Julien Pesenti (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
34 Mauro Miele/Luca Beltrame (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
35 Eamonn Boland/Michael Joseph Morrissey (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
36 Frédéric Rosati/Philippe Marchetto (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)
37 Jean-Michal Raoux/Laurent Magat (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
39 Carlo Cavi/Michala Lorigiola (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
40 Fabrizio Arengi Bentivoglio/Massimiliano Bosi (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo)
WRC3
For 2022, WRC3 has become exclusively for Rally3 cars – giving the latest rung of the FIA’s rallying pyramid its own designated class to compete.
On Monte Carlo, just four cars have entered but there’s some very competitive and recognizable names in the mix including the 2021 Junior WRC champion.
41 Sami Pajari/Enni Mälkönen (Ford Fiesta Rally3)
43 Enrico Brazzoli/Manuel Fenoli (Ford Fiesta Rally3)
64 Zoltán László/Tamás Begala (Ford Fiesta Rally3)
45 Jan Černý/Petr Černohorský (Ford Fiesta Rally3)
Itinerary
For the first time since 2006, the Monte Carlo Rally is based exclusively in Monaco in 2022. While the rally began in Valence before heading to Monaco in 2007-13 and traded Valence for Gap between 2014-21, the service park will remain rooted this year.
The special stages are still all in the mountains above the principality though, so the challenge that awaits the crews won’t be totally unexpected. But having said that, 95% of the 2022 route is compared to 2021 as lots of the tests haven’t been used in years.
Beginning on Thursday night (with a pass over the famous Col de Turini that evening) the rally continues until Sunday lunchtime, incorporating 17 special stages.
Thursday January 20
Shakedown Sainte-Agnès / Peille (1.42 miles) 0931
SS1 Lucéram / Lantosque (9.44 miles) 2018
SS2 La Bollène-Vésubie / Moulinet (14.44 miles) 2131
Friday January 21
SS3 Roure / Beuil 1 (11.39 miles) 0914
SS4 Guillaumes / Péone / Valberg 1 (8.38 miles) 1017
SS5 Val-de-Chalvagne / Entrevaux 1 (10.63 miles) 1135
SS6 Roure / Beuil 2 (11.39 miles) 1416
SS7 Guillaumes / Péone / Valberg 2 (8.38 miles) 1519
SS8 Val-de-Chalvagne / Entrevaux 2 (10.63 miles) 1637
Saturday January 22
SS9 Le Fugeret / Thorame-Haute (10.44 miles) 0817
SS10 Saint-Jeannet / Malijai 1 (10.59 miles) 1008
SS11 Saint-Geniez / Thoard 1 1116
SS12 Saint-Jeannet / Malijai 2 (10.59 miles) 1408
SS13 Saint-Geniez / Thoard 2 1506
Sunday January 23
SS14 La Penne / Collongues 1 (12.03 miles) 0845
SS15 Briançonnet / Entrevaux 1 (8.86 miles) 1008
SS16 La Penne / Collongues 2 (12.03 miles) 1053
SS17 Briançonnet / Entrevaux 2 (8.86 miles) 1218
Total competitive distance: 183.95 miles
