Rally Monte Carlo 2008
| Racing data | |
|---|---|
| 1st of 15 races of the 2008 World Rally Championship | |
| Surname: | Rally Monte Carlo |
| Date: | 24.-27. January 2008 |
| Begin: | Monaco |
| Exams: | 19 tests over 365.09 km |
| Distance: | 1481.25 km |
| Covering: | Asphalt, ice and snow |
| Podium | |
| First: |
 Sébastien Loeb Citroën World Rally Team
|
| Second: |
 Mikko Hirvonen Ford World Rally Team
|
| Third: |
 Chris Atkinson Subaru World Rally Team
 |
The 76th Monte Carlo Rally was the first of 15 FIA - World Cup races 2008 . The rally consisted of 19 special stages and was driven between January 24th and 27th.
Race report
Sébastien Loeb (Citroën) was the first driver ever to win the classic for the fifth time in the 75-year history of the Monte Carlo Rally. Loeb took the lead in the second special stage on Thursday evening and controlled the rally from then on. On Friday he set the fastest time in four of six special stages. From Saturday noon, Loeb changed tactics and spared the car. Because then the second-placed team-mate Dani Sordo retired with engine failure. The Ford works driver Mikko Hirvonen came in second. After the final special stage, Loeb had a lead of over 2:34 minutes.
While the first and second places were already taken, a tough battle for third place developed. Subaru driver Chris Atkinson and Francois Duval (Ford) drove a close duel on Saturday, Atkinson was able to stay in front until then. While Atkinson was setting top times, Duval fell back and was 20 seconds behind that evening. But on Sunday, at the Col de Turini and the other special stages in the mountains near Monaco, Duval's counterattack followed. He drove three best times of four special stages and was only 1.1 seconds behind the last special stage. The two drivers completed the 2.7 kilometer special stage at exactly the same time. With this Atkinson was able to save his lead over the target and defended third place.
Classifications
Bottom line
| Item | driver | Co-driver | automobile | time | Residue | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WRC | ||||||
| 1 |
Sébastien Loeb
|
 Daniel Elena
|
Citroën C4 WRC | 3: 39: 17.0 | 10 | |
| 2 |
Mikko Hirvonen
|
Jarmo Lehtinen
|
Ford Focus RS WRC | 3: 41: 51.4 | + 02: 34.4 | 8th |
| 3 |
Chris Atkinson
|
 Stéphane Prévot
|
Subaru Impreza WRC | 3: 42: 15.6 | + 02: 58.6 | 6th |
| 4th |
François Duval
|
Eddy Chevalier
|
Ford Focus RS WRC | 3: 42: 16.7 | + 02: 59.7 | 5 |
| 5 |
 Petter Solberg
|
Phil Mills
|
Subaru Impreza WRC | 3: 43: 57.9 | + 04: 40.9 | 4th |
| 6th |
 Gigi Galli
|
Giovanni Bernacchini
|
Ford Focus RS WRC | 3: 48: 03.5 | + 08: 46.5 | 3 |
| 7th |
Jean-Marie Cuoq
|
Philippe Janvier
|
Peugeot 307 WRC | 3: 49: 41.8 | + 10: 24.8 | 2 |
| 8th |
 Per-Gunnar Andersson
|
Jonas Andersson
|
Suzuki SX4 WRC | 3: 50: 36.5 | + 11: 19.5 | 1 |
| 9 |
Henning Solberg
|
Cato Menkerud
|
Ford Focus RS WRC | 3: 52: 00.6 | + 12: 43.6 | |
| 10 |
Matthew Wilson
|
Scott Martin
|
Ford Focus RS WRC | 3: 53: 17.1 | + 14: 00.1 | |
Special stages
| Day | WP number |
WP name |
length | WP winner |
time | Ø km / h | Overall leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (Jan. 24) |
WP1 | Jean en Royans - Col de la Chau | 28.12 km |
 Dani Sordo
|
14: 08.9 | 119.3 km / h |
Dani Sordo
|
| WP2 | La Cime du Mas - Col de Gaudissart | 17.58 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
9: 25.7 | 111.9 km / h |
Sébastien Loeb
|
|
| Day 2 (Jan 25) |
WP3 | St. Pierreville - Col de la Fayolle 1 | 29.52 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
18: 54.4 | 93.7 km / h | |
| WP4 | Burzet - Lachamp Raphael 1 | 16.30 km |
Dani Sordo
|
9: 37.1 | 101.7 km / h | ||
| WP5 | St. Martial - Le Chambon - Beleac 1 | 12.66 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
8: 06.2 | 93.7 km / h | ||
| WP6 | St. Pierreville - Col de la Fayolle 2 | 29.52 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
18: 41.8 | 94.7 km / h | ||
| WP7 | Burzet - Lachamp Raphael 2 | 16.30 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
9: 40.7 | 101.1 km / h | ||
| WP8 | St. Martial - Le Chambon - Beleac 2 | 12.66 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
8: 03.6 | 94.2 km / h | ||
| Day 3 (Jan. 26) |
WP9 | Labatie d'Andaure - Lalouvesc 1 | 19.37 km |
Dani Sordo
|
11: 18.1 | 102.8 km / h | |
| WP10 | St. Bonnet - St. Bonnet 1 | 25.36 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
12: 39.0 | 120.3 km / h | ||
| WP11 | Lamastre - Gilhoc - Alboussiere 1 | 21.66 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
12: 59.8 | 100.0 km / h | ||
| WP12 | Labatie d'Andaure - Lalouvesc 2 | 19.37 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
11: 12.0 | 103.8 km / h | ||
| WP13 | St. Bonnet - St. Bonnet 2 | 25.36 km |
Chris Atkinson
|
12: 23.9 | 122.7 km / h | ||
| WP14 | Lamastre - Gilhoc - Alboussiere 2 | 21.66 km |
Sébastien Loeb
|
13: 08.4 | 98.9 km / h | ||
| Day 4 (Jan. 27) |
WP15 | La Bollene Vesubie - Moulinet 1 | 22.68 km |
François Duval
|
15: 48.6 | 86.1 km / h | |
| WP16 | Luceram - Loda | 15.34 km |
Daniel Sordo
|
10: 51.7 | 84.7 km / h | ||
| WP17 | La Bollene Vesubie - Moulinet 2 | 22.68 km |
François Duval
|
15: 27.7 | 88.0 km / h | ||
| WP18 | Luceram - Col des Portes | 6.25 km |
François Duval
|
4: 24.4 | 85.1 km / h | ||
| WP19 | Circuit de Monaco | 2.70 km |
Chris Atkinson François Duval
|
1: 40.7 | 96.5 km / h |
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ motorsport-total.com: Record victory for Loeb, Atkinson third , accessed on January 10, 2015
Monte Carlo | Sweden | Mexico | Argentina | Jordan | Italy | Greece | Turkey | Finland | Germany | New Zealand | Spain | Corsica | Japan | Wales (Great Britain)