4 questions to Eric Barrabino, director of Rallye Monte-Carlo
The Deputy Commissioner General in charge of the General Commissioner of the ACM and director of the event was in charge of the approach to the start of the race.
The Monte-Carlo Rally returns for a 91e editing. Are there new things on the program?
The great novelty of this year concerns the day of Sunday. In the spirit of Rallye Monte-Carlo tradition, we will be able to get all the competitors who can in the morning to start again. Previously, we limited the last day to the first 50 crews because of the short distance of the loop.
Our course setters succeeded this year in extending the connection between the two specials at speed, allowing us to allow the start of the 75 entered for the last stage. Something to delight our friends and amateur competitors…
The event is taken from drivers and spectators, what should they expect this year?
Regarding the Rally itself, there will be something new from the first evening. We innovated at the start of the special between Bollène-Vésubie and the Col du Turini, with a very original part between the start and the passage through the village. The road is very narrow and therefore fun for the pilots.
The same route is generally known to everyone, if we have reworked it. The power gain should be played until the end, like last year. We are all expecting to experience a very beautiful Monte-Carlo Rally, with winter weather that will be part of it, including snowfall during reconnaissance and negative temperatures afterwards during the rally, all under a big blue sky!
The Automobile Club of Monaco will continue directly with the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, (January 24-1uh february). The event is still as successful with more than 280 entries, how can this be explained?
I believe that the rally craze can be explained with several arguments. Fans of the discipline who present an old car want to survey the roads which have become part of the legend of the event, at a time of year when there is potentially snow to make them suffer.
It’s mainly a story of enthusiasts, and you can feel it in the atmosphere found in closed parks. Above all, there is pleasure. In addition to the crews, this rally also attracts the public. It’s striking to see all these people on the course of a regularity test where the competitors must respect the rules of the road…
So are we staying on a classic route, rather than on innovation and surprise?
The Monte-Carlo Historic Rally is above all tradition. One day we may decide to offer a stage that goes a little off the beaten track, but I don’t think that’s the spirit of this event.
We are sticking to our logic of previous years and this strategy seems to please since we still attract so many enthusiasts.