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Rallye Monte-Carlo
17th to 22nd January 2012
2012, a fanastic year! One year on from the 2011 Automobile Club deMonaco centenary celabration of the Monte, the oldest of all road races, in 2012 both the 80th Rallye Monte-Carlo Automobile and it's return to the FIA World Championship calender will be celebrated.
Hope that the 2012 season is the image of the first day in Monte-Carlo! Uncertain and exciting, it set the tone for what could be the new year. If you thought Sébastien Loeb dominate discussions, it was without counting on the choice of tires from each others. But now, it's a mantra known in World Rally Championship, there's Sébastien Loeb and then the other. Rallye Monte-Carlo 2012 was ultimately not an exception. The eight times world champion is recovering at home from the moment that Jari-Matti Latvala went off the road before the end of the first day.
Rich of four stages, the first day of the Rallye Monte-Carlo has been eventful. Overall Sébastien Loeb concluded the first day with 1'04"2 good on Dani Sordo, Petter Solberg, Evgeniy Novikov and Mikko Hirvonen ended first top 5 of the year. But the differences are already very impressive.
After the retirement of Jari-Matti Latvala endorsed the final stage of the first day, there's no doubt that the face of the race would change. The second day of the Rallye Monte-Carlo didn't bring major changes in the rankings, Sébastien Loeb pursuing his demonstration ahead of the race, while the duel between Dani Sordo and Petter Solberg continued to gain the silver medal.
If the third day was complicated, Sébastien Loeb negociated them without flinching, widening the gap over the nearest opponent. Teammate Mikko Hirvonen has also shown performance but the damage was already done, the Finn rush on the evening at 3'43"0 of the race leader. Relegated off the podium, he will have to fight face to Petter Solberg for the final third step.
The last night of the Monte-Carlo, which ends on Saturday evening around 21:30, proposed a completely dry field. This conditions are not allowed to rebuild their protagonists delay or increase their lead by its position. Sébastien Loeb was able to provide leadership and Dani Sordo counter attacks of Petter Solberg.
Compete over five days, a format described as too long by the organizers themselves, it's with a huge advantage of 2'41" that Sébastien Loeb presented himself at the start of the 5 kilometers long Power Stage, whose usefullness, in this last racing day, escapes a lot of people. Behind the battle for silver isn't quite finished, allthought Dani Sordo saved what could be and Petter Solberg has large gas. It's true that the Norwegian would prevent the possible rise of Mikko Hirvonen while continuing to believe in the hunt for the 2nd place.
Hope that the 2012 season is the image of the first day in Monte-Carlo! Uncertain and exciting, it set the tone for what could be the new year. If you thought Sébastien Loeb dominate discussions, it was without counting on the choice of tires from each others. But now, it's a mantra known in World Rally Championship, there's Sébastien Loeb and then the other. Rallye Monte-Carlo 2012 was ultimately not an exception. The eight times world champion is recovering at home from the moment that Jari-Matti Latvala went off the road before the end of the first day.
Rich of four stages, the first day of the Rallye Monte-Carlo has been eventful. Overall Sébastien Loeb concluded the first day with 1'04"2 good on Dani Sordo, Petter Solberg, Evgeniy Novikov and Mikko Hirvonen ended first top 5 of the year. But the differences are already very impressive.
After the retirement of Jari-Matti Latvala endorsed the final stage of the first day, there's no doubt that the face of the race would change. The second day of the Rallye Monte-Carlo didn't bring major changes in the rankings, Sébastien Loeb pursuing his demonstration ahead of the race, while the duel between Dani Sordo and Petter Solberg continued to gain the silver medal.
If the third day was complicated, Sébastien Loeb negociated them without flinching, widening the gap over the nearest opponent. Teammate Mikko Hirvonen has also shown performance but the damage was already done, the Finn rush on the evening at 3'43"0 of the race leader. Relegated off the podium, he will have to fight face to Petter Solberg for the final third step.
The last night of the Monte-Carlo, which ends on Saturday evening around 21:30, proposed a completely dry field. This conditions are not allowed to rebuild their protagonists delay or increase their lead by its position. Sébastien Loeb was able to provide leadership and Dani Sordo counter attacks of Petter Solberg.
Compete over five days, a format described as too long by the organizers themselves, it's with a huge advantage of 2'41" that Sébastien Loeb presented himself at the start of the 5 kilometers long Power Stage, whose usefullness, in this last racing day, escapes a lot of people. Behind the battle for silver isn't quite finished, allthought Dani Sordo saved what could be and Petter Solberg has large gas. It's true that the Norwegian would prevent the possible rise of Mikko Hirvonen while continuing to believe in the hunt for the 2nd place.
| Pos. | No. | Driver / Co-driver | Car | Team |
| 1 | 1 | Loeb / Elena | Citroën DS3 WRC | Citroën Total WRT |
| 2 | 37 | Sordo / del Barrio | Mini CJohn Cooper Works WRC | Mini WRC Team |
| 3 | 4 | Solberg / Patterson | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | Ford WRT |
| 4 | 2 | Hirvonen / Lehtinen | Citroën DS3 WRC | Citroën Total WRT |
| 5 | 6 | Novikov / Giraudet | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | M-Sport Ford WRT |
| 6 | 8 | Delecour / Savignoni | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | M-Sport Ford WRT |
| 7 | 52 | Campana / De Castelli | Mini John Cooper Works WRC | Mini WRC Team |
| 8 | 5 | Tänak / Sikk | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | M-Sport Ford WRT |
| 9 | 21 | Prokop / Tomanek | Ford Fiesta RS WRC | Czech Ford National Team |
| 10 | 12 | Araujo / Ramalho | Mini John Cooper Works WRC | Armindo Araujo WRT |
