Exactly 30 years after his famous father Ari won Rallye Monte-Carlo with one of the most stunning drives in rally history, Max Vatanen is also a winner in the glittering Principality. Max won the R2 class by a minute on the opening round of this year’s World Rally Championship, having previously headed the class by four minutes during the early stages.

Max Vatanen won his class on the Monte Carlo Rally.“This has been the best possible way to start the season,” said the 24-year-old, who is backed by the MAXRALLY.com website. “It was one of the toughest rallies I have ever driven, but also one of the most satisfying. The first two days in particularly were really challenging, with grip that was changing all the time. The second two days were more consistent, but I wanted to manage my advantage and be sure of finishing, which is why I backed off and dropped the time. But that was a big challenge in itself too, as when you slow down you lose the rhythm.”

For Max, it was an exercise in matching speed with consistency right from the beginning of the event. Even though he was feeling very unwell at the start, having had a fever before the rally, Max was able to dig deep and unlock his very best performance to make eye-catching progress in his Ford Fiesta R2, on his Monte Carlo debut.

As usual, conditions on Rallye Monte-Carlo were extremely changeable, making tyre choice complicated and increasing the risk of going off – as even the very top drivers found out. From the start, Max was handed a disadvantage, when another competitor spun in front of him and blocked the road on SS1 for 50 seconds.

“This made things quite difficult but we just tried to do the best job possible throughout all four days of the rally,” added Max, who was co-driven by Jacques-Julien Rennucci: a former Tour de Corse overall winner.

For only the second time in his life, Max used French pace notes – which worked well, as he grew up in the south of France and speaks French fluently. “I wouldn’t say that I have exactly the same confidence in them than I did in Finnish pace notes yet, but it’s getting there,” commented Max after the rally. “To be completely accurate, I feel comfortable with them at high speeds, but it’s the lower-speed, more technical, notes that need a little work. All in all though, Monte has been an extremely good event and I’ve got a lot of confidence for the year ahead now. My feeling with the car is great and we made no big mistakes.”

Ari Vatanen was among the spectators over the weekend, but in a low profile way: it was definitely the turn of his youngest son to soak up the Monte Carlo experience.

Max’s aim this year is to contest the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy once more, where he finished as top rookie in last year’s championship.

SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY

RallySport Magazine Subscription
Select Subscription Level
Select Subscription Length
Recurring Subscription Cost
A subscription to RallySport Magazine give you access to all our rally content from Australia, New Zealand and around the world – with news, features and experiences nobody can match. Our team are dedicated to providing an unrivalled experience which shares, supports and promotes the sport of rallying.
Already have an account?

By clicking "Subscribe Now" you agree to receive news, offers and updates on RallySport Magazine. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications, you can update your preferences in My Account.

We will commence charging your payment method after the 7 day free trial expires. If you cancel after expiry of your trial, cancellation will take effect from the end of your current monthly subscription period. You will not be refunded any fees paid to RallySport Magazine unless otherwise set out in the terms and conditions.

Account Details
Payment Information

By clicking "Subscribe Now" you agree to receive news, offers and updates on RallySport Magazine. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications, you can update your preferences in My Account.

We will commence charging your payment method after the 7 day free trial expires. If you cancel after expiry of your trial, cancellation will take effect from the end of your current monthly subscription period. You will not be refunded any fees paid to RallySport Magazine unless otherwise set out in the terms and conditions.

Show Your Support

Author

Title

Go to Top