The 2018 World Rally Championship is set to be one of the most competitive seasons in the series’ history.
Competition kicks off in Monte Carlo, arguably the most iconic rally on the planet.
How to watch
The WRC’s new ‘all live’ WRC+ service launches this week, just in time for the season opener in Monte Carlo.
This service, available for £95.99 a year, will give viewers the chance to watch every stage live with over 25 hours of coverage every rally weekend.
For those unsure of committing to paying for a month or a year of WRC+, the discount code ‘WRC18ASI’ will give you a free month trial.
Red Bull TV will air daily highlights as well as a live stage at midday on Saturday.
On television, BT Sport and Motorsport TV will have daily highlights, with the former showing selected live stages including Sunday’s Power Stage.
At 7pm on Tuesday, Channel 5 will show a highlights programme.
The route
The rally begins on Thursday with a pair of night stages, the first (Sisteron) will be run in the opposite direction for the first time ever. Friday marks the first proper day of competition, with nearly 145km ran over six stages.
Saturday sees an equally gruelling quintet of stages. 50% of the rally has changed compared to last year, but the infamous ‘Col de Braus’ remains as Monte’s powerstage.
Entry List
Reigning manufacturers’ and drivers’ champions M-Sport will run five-time champion Sebastien Ogier, 2017 Rally GB winner Elfyn Evans and Monte specialist Bryan Bouffier.
After running on DMACKs for the entirety of last year, Evans will switch to a Michelin-shod Fiesta.
Monte is the first of two events this year for Bouffier, who took a surprise second place in 2014’s Monte Carlo Rally.
Its main rivals last season Hyundai will field three cars; 2017 runner-up Thierry Neuville, Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo.
Monte is one of seven planned rallies for Sordo this year, who will share a third i20 with Hayden Paddon. The Kiwi will make his 2018 bow in Sweden.
Toyota is fielding veteran Jari-Matti Latvala, newcomer Ott Tanak and youngster Esapekka Lappi.
After a difficult 2017, Citroen brings two cars to Monte. Kris Meeke and Craig Breen will compete, with Mads Ostberg and Sebastien Loeb making their debuts in Sweden and Mexico respectively
In the WRC2, there are six entrants for points. Teemu Suninen, who drive a current-spec WRC Fiesta in Sweden kicks off this year in a Fiesta R5. He will be joined by 2016 WRC M-Sport driver Eric Camilli.
Former Hyundai driver Kevin Abbring will drive a privately-entered Fiesta while Skoda will field veteran Jan Kopecky for drivers’ points only.
Stephane Sarrazin will compete in Hyundai’s i20 R5 car, though won’t compete for WRC2 points. Likewise Ole Christian Veiby in a Skoda Fabia R5.
Italian gentleman driver Manuel Villa will drive a 2016 WRC Fiesta.
Renault Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr will make a surprise rallying debut on Sunday’s powerstage driving one of the organiser’s Renault Megane R.S course cars.
Last year
Ogier made a dream debut with M-Sport despite putting his Fiesta in a ditch on Friday’s opening stage.
Neuville was leading for a large portion of the rally before he broke his i20’s suspension on the 13th stage. Meeke had an even worse rally; crashing twice including a collision on the road section on Saturday night.
Latvala gave Toyota a podium on its WRC return, Tanak completed the podium in third ahead of Sordo and Breen.
