 70E Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo 2002 preview. Story by Andrew Frampton.
Famed for its casinos and multi-millionaires, Monte Carlo hosts the first round of the 2002 World Rally Championship. The asphalt event is a favourite of Tommi Makinen, who has claimed three successive victories in the principality. However, the pre-season team changes have thrown the battle right open.
Peugeot seem the favourites for the manufacturers crown with four world class drivers signed up for the team in 2002. After a battle that had threatened to take to the courts, Richard Burns, the 2001 champion, becomes a Peugeot driver for 2002. The Englishman is joined in the team by Marcus Gronholm, in his third season with the French marque. A third car will be run on each of the events, Gilles Panizzi taking the wheel in the six asphalt events, while Harri Rovanpera will drive the other rounds.
Also tipped for the top are the Ford team, who retain the services of Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz for another season, and will be looking to improve on second position in last season's manufacturer's championship. Estonian Markko Martin will drive the third works Focus, having been signed from Subaru. A fourth works car in the hands of the former S1600cc class and British Rally Championship competitor Francois Duval will be entered for five events.
Now without Richard Burns, Subaru have secured the services of Tommi Makinen and Petter Solberg. Makinen, the four-time World Champion, moves to Subaru after seven successful years at Mitsubishi. Solberg continues with the team that helped him to second position on last year's Acropolis Rally, the Subaru management keen to exploit up and coming talent. Also competing with the team on certain events is Toshi Arai from Japan.
Mitsubishi have an entirely new line-up for 2002 following the departure of Makinen and Loix, with Francois Delecour and Alister McRae filling the void. Delecour moves from Ford after an unhappy year in the third Focus, while McRae joins the team from Hyundai. The two new drivers have been impressed with the Lancer in testing - the new car seeming cured of its woes that blighted Makinen's championship challenge.
Taking Alister McRae's place at Hyundai is the Belgian, Freddy Loix, who moves from Mitsubishi. The former Skoda driver Armin Schwarz joins him at the Korean marque, while the team has the added bonus of the experience of Juha Kankkunen on selected events.
Skoda also has a new line-up for 2002. Replacing Schwarz and Bruno Thiry at the Czech marque are Kenneth Eriksson and Toni Gardermeister. A third car will be shared by young-gun Roman Kresta, and rallying legend Stig Blomqvist.
Citroen are stepping up their programme for this season, having focussed on the development of their asphalt car last year. Three of the four drivers who competed for the French marque remain; Philippe Bugalski is joined by Sebastien Loeb and Thomas Radstrom - Jesus Puras loses his drive.
This makes it hard to predict a winner for the Monte Carlo Rally. Ford have the advantage of experienced drivers, while the two French marque's usually excel on tarmac, although Citroen have not entered this event before, and Peugeot have never gone well on the Monte. Both Mitsubishi and Subaru will be hoping that their new driver line-ups can shine, while Hyundai and Skoda are both aiming to be on the pace - it should be a cracker!
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