In contrast to BP-Ford's continuity, there is little to recognise in Rallye Monte Carlo compared with last year. The oldest event in the calendar, celebrates its 75th anniversary and organisers have made big changes. A new base in Valence, north-west of its traditional home in Monaco, signals a return to legendary asphalt speed tests in the Ardèche and Vercors mountains unused for 10 years. Â
The inland special stages are away from the warming coastal influence experienced in the traditional tests in the Alps above Monaco, home to the event in recent years. Temperatures may dip lower at night and take longer to warm up in the day. Although recent weather has been mild, the forecast arrival of a cold snap next week may bring patchy snow and ice on the bleak and inhospitable higher sections of the rally.
Essentially an asphalt event on technically straight-forward roads, unpredictable weather can make Rallye Monte Carlo hugely difficult. Drivers can face bone dry roads, streaming wet asphalt and treacherous ice – always with the threat of snow on the highest ground. They can often encounter all on the same stage as the route climbs and descends mountain cols, switching from southern facing roads sheltered from the extreme weather to exposed northern ones. Â
The rally can be won or lost on a good or bad choice. Each group of stages can contain tests which offer vastly different conditions that must be tackled on rubber chosen more than three hours before the action begins. There is no perfect tyre choice for such weather and frequently the secret for success is selecting compromise rubber which loses least time in the 'wrong' conditions. Reliable weather data from team personnel in the mountains and accurate condition checks from safety crews, allowed to drive the stages before competitors, are the key to the right tyres. Â
This year's opening leg will be held entirely in the dark, another challenge on a rally already regarded as one of the most difficult of the season and certainly the most unpredictable. It is the first time an entire leg has been held in darkness for more than 10 years.
This will be the seventh start for Grönholm, who won last year on his debut for the team. However, the move away from Monaco means the roads will be new. "I drove some in 1991 as an ice crew driver but I can't remember a thing about them," said the 38-year-old Finn. "It will be dark on the first leg and that will be difficult, especially on stages I don't know. Then on Friday there is a 46km stage in the morning to wake me up – one of the longest in the championship. It won't be easy.
"You can never drive flat out in Monte Carlo because road conditions are so unpredictable. I want to win but I'm not going to go crazy for victory. It's much better to finish second or third than risk everything pushing for a win in changing conditions. Tyres are always so important. The weather on the stages can change so quickly and can also be entirely different from that in the service park so it is important to have the best weather forecasts and the best information from our personnel in the stages," he added.
Hirvonen claimed his first Rallye Monte Carlo finish in three starts in 2006. "It's a massively difficult rally with which to start the season but I like it," he said. "It's the biggest challenge in the championship. I was seventh last year but I want to improve on that and then really get down to business on the snow in Sweden. Â
"I know nothing of the stages. They will be totally new to me but that will be the same for everyone. We have to be careful with the pace notes. We need to be precise with them for the two dark stages on Thursday and concentration will be crucial. Tyre selection will also be vital. When temperatures drop close to 0C it's hard to see if there is black ice. That's when we rely heavily on our safety crew for accurate information," he added. Â
Team News
* The Focus RS cars will sport a new livery for the 2007 season. In addition to the new colour scheme, BP-Ford also has a new logo for 2007.
* The team is in the middle of a four-day pre-event test in the south of France. Hirvonen started yesterday (Thursday) and Grönholm will take over for the final two days tomorrow (Saturday).
* Grönholm and Rautiainen will drive a Focus RS WRC on the Galway International Rally in Ireland on 2 - 4 February. Based in Galway City in west Ireland, it is the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Championship and covers 245km of asphalt special stages over two days. The event will give the Finns valuable experience of Irish roads ahead of Rally Ireland's WRC debut in November.
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