The Monte-Carlo is evolving a lot this season

Even though the Drôme and Ardèche departments will host the Rally competitors as they did in 2007, and even though Valence will be the heart of the event for a week, the Alpes-Maritimes department is not forgotten since the entire 4th stage will revisit the legendary Turini, and this will happen twice on Sunday the 27th.

The organizers have decided to modify all stages and the route of some special events.

It is on the roads of the commune of Vernoux en Vivarais, located 25 km west of Valence, that the test session will take place on Thursday the 24th. The official departure ceremony of the event will be held in the evening from 6 p.m. at the Champ de Mars in the heart of the city of Valence.

The first two stages of this leg will take place as in the last edition at night on the same evening on the roads of the Vercors, starting from Saint-Jean-en-Royans and La Cîme du Mas. Competitors will return to the Service Park in Valence starting at 11:45 PM.

Friday, January 25, the south of the Ardèche Department will be the stage for the battle for the win of the first round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

3 stages to be covered twice, interspersed with a regrouping and an assistance in Valence. The first major change is that the first stage will be much shorter than last year, starting in Saint-Pierreville and finishing at Col de la Fayolle.

No Remote Assistance Zone at Vals les Bains, with competitors proceeding directly to the Burzet / Lachamp-Raphaël stage, immediately followed by Saint-Martial / Le Chambon-Beleac. End of the stage in Valence and arrival of the first competitors around 7:11 PM.

Saturday, January 26, the competitors return to the roads of northern Ardèche for six stages with regrouping and then assistance in Valence. The main change of the day concerns the third stage which, starting from Gilhoc, will bring the competitors back to Alboussière.

First car expected in Valencia at 4:04 PM.

At the end of this assistance, the competitors will return to the Principality to be placed in Parc Fermé at the end of the stage from 11:30 PM.

Sunday from 9 a.m., the final stage for 4 events on the roads of the hinterland of Nice with the establishment of a Remote Assistance Zone in the municipality of Gilette. Two events to be covered twice are on the program: La Bollène-Vésubie / Moulinet and Luceram / Loda.

At the end of the second round, the competitors will reach the Remote Assistance Zone in Gilette before heading to the Principality of Monaco from 2:04 PM. The official award ceremony concluding this event will be held at the Palace Square from 3:30 PM.

The complete schedule of the 2008 Monte-Carlo Rally will be available in a few days.

According to a statement from the ACM