With a modified route around Gap and 17 stages over a competitive distance of 324.44km, the 2024 edition of the Rallye Monte-Carlo promises once again to provide teams and drivers alike with a heavyweight challenge. Added to which, there is a serious risk of wintry conditions during the weekend. The world’s most famous rally kicks off in the dark on Thursday evening with a run over the Col de Fontbelle and the iconic twists and turns of the Bayons – Bréziers test. On Friday, stages will be contested against the backdrop of Champsaur and Valgaudemar, before venturing into the Drôme and Isère departments for Saturday’s leg. The event finishes on Sunday with a return to the famous Col du Corobin, near to Digne-les-Bains, concluding with a single run to the top of the Col du Turini for the Power Stage.
With six and four previous appearances respectively, Yohan Rossel – Arnaud Dunand and Nikolay Gryazin – Aleksandrov Konstantin are all too aware of the need to treat this event with great respect. They have learned over the years how to manage the changing levels of grip and make the right tyres choices at the right time, enabling them to finish first and second in the WRC2 class this time last year. It almost goes without saying, then, that they are aiming to be among the frontrunners in the C3 Rally2 once again this year. Both crews have enjoyed good preparations for the rally, managing to secure a one-two finish (Gryazin ahead of Rossel) at the Rallye Hivernal du Dévoluy, contested in similar conditions.
This event marks the start of their season in the WRC2, the feeder category to rally’s elite class, where they will be joined later in the year by Marco Bulacia – Diego Vallejo in competing on behalf of Citroën Racing. Whilst the standard in the WRC2 championship is incredibly high, both Rossel and Gryazin – who finished third and fourth overall in 2023 – will be gunning for the title this year, competing on a variety of surfaces that they are both starting to master and where the C3 Rally2 has already shown its competitiveness. The car is however set to be fine-tuned even further by Citroën Racing’s technical team, with upgrades due to be introduced during the year to ensure that the C3 Rally2 continues to shine on tarmac and gravel.
