In the new March 2012 issue of CAR Magazine Mark Walton went to the 2012 Monte Carlo rally to take the pulse of the World Rally Champtionship. Can it survive without broad television coverage? Have the manufacturers lost the appetite? And what about the fans? Walton dons his bobble hat and turns rally nerd for a couple of days. Click here for a digital preview of the March issue.
Monte Carlo Rally: one of the most famous races on the rallying calendar
Col de Turini: one of the best roads for road testers, enthusiasts and rally fans. Bikes not allowed during rally season
Moments later, a sideways hatchback driven by a lunatic descended here at pace
The countryside around Monte Carlo is stunning. The yachty nature of Monaco gives way to French rural idyll
Note umbrella held by fan, right. Mud, rain and wind are the staples of the rally fan
The Mini WRC car has been struck by crisis. Prodrive and BMW fell out over sponsorship and funding, but the Countryman still made it to Monte Carlo
Not your usual approach angle for a right-hander on a mountain road
Rally spectators are still allowed ludicrously close to the action. No F1 style arm’s length business here
Ford, Citroen, Mini… WRC still draws mainstream car brands – and more are coming, with VW arriving soon
Cars line up between stages
Solberg, Patterson, Ford… some teams have changed rotas this season
First gear? Check. 4000rpm? Yep. Can of Red Bull? For sure…
After BMW’s hissy fit, it’s luck this wasn’t charged with race duties for Mini at the WRC
The mountains around Monte Carlo provide plenty of this
And that. Rally still provides the most visceral, raw motorsport on the planet
Citroen has dominated WRC rallying in recent years. Too early to call on their outlook for 2012, but they’re looking strong
Ford has promoted Latvala to first driver, joined by Solberg
Days after the Monte Carlo rally BMW pulled its factory backing from the Mini WRC programme
Service park at the 2012 Monte Carlo Rally. Prodrive mechanics beaver away. But where’s Kris Meeke? He lost his seat just before Christmas
Hirvonen, died-in-the-wool Ford man. Strange to see him in Citroen overalls
Drivers chewing the fat just before a stage kicks off: Loeb, Delecour and a co-driver swap notes
Despite the uncertainty over the Mini programme, Sordo still put in a fiery performance at the 2012 Monte
Night time, the top of the Col de Turini. This is what rallying’s all about
A few drinks in, our snapper loses his focus
It’s not just us who’s lost our focus; Ford is now running the Fiesta instead of the Focus…
Citroen coming in to win. At the rally – not the casino
The first Monte Carlo rally after a long absence. Loeb picks up where he left off – with a win
Citroen remains the biggest team and the manufacturer most committed to world rallying
Solberg in the Fiesta. It’s the second year that the Blue Oval has campaigned the supermini in WRC
It’s not just the cars hurtling sideways out of control…
Monte Carlo normally hosts F1 races here in the summer; this winter, it was WRC
Solberg congratulates Loeb on his win. No fisticuffs in WRC
Loeb seeks protection from crazy fan behind his sunglasses
Skoda’s S2000 car. It’s part of the VW group’s preparation for a full-flung effort with the Polo WRC
Parc ferme at 2012 Monte Carlo rally
Skoda picked up a gong in the S2000 class
Solberg impressed on first outing with Ford: he took the final step on the podium
Sordo did well, considering the uncertainty over the Mini programme. He came second
Citroen celebrated another win at the 2012 Monte
The drivers get busy with the fizzy. There’s twice the champagne in rallying with the co-drivers celebrating too
>> Don’t miss Mark Walton’s feature in the March 2012 issue of CAR Magazine out now