Photos of the 2006 WRC Rally cars in Monaco

Car Number: 3
Team: BP Ford World Rally Team (GB)
Driver And Co-Driver: Marcus Gronholm (Finland), Timo Rautiainen (Finland)
Car: Ford Focus RS WRC 06

Grönholm holds on to his early lead to take the first WRC Rally of the season. Here he is returning back to the port, about to get showered with Evian (cheap or tee-total?) by his teammates, before getting ready for prize giving at the Palace.

Car Number: 1
Team: Kronos Total Citroen WRT (Belgium)
Driver And Co-Driver: Sébastien Loeb (France), Daniel Elena (Monaco)
Car: Citroen Xsara WRC

Former champions and local duo Loeb and Elena did well to come all the way back to take second place after spinning on day 1, and were naturally mobbed when they arrived back in Monaco. Loeb was happy to soak up the attention while Elena was clearly getting frustrated waiting! I guess he must be used to it. Daniel Elena was born in Monaco, and as such is one of very few internationally known real Monegasques. He's in the foreground in the top photo.

Car Number: 16
Team: Astra Racing (Italy)
Driver And Co-Driver: Toni Gardemeister (Finland), Jakke Honkanen (Finland)
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC

The Finns picked up 1st and 3rd in this snow bound rally, with Gardemeister in third place behind Loeb.

Car Number: 7
Team: Omv - Peugeot Norway (Austria)
Driver And Co-Driver: Manfred Stohl (Austria), Ilka Minor (Austria)
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC

Stohl picked up 4th place. His co-driver Ilka Minor can be seen on the right in the second photo fixng her hair while Manfred gives an interview.

Car Number: 26
Team: Daniel Sordo (Spain)
Driver And Co-Driver: Daniel Sordo (Spain), Marc Marti (Spain)
Car: Citroen Xsara WRC

Sordo picked up a useful 1 point in 8th place. A rising star, he won the JWRC title last year and will still be competing in it this year.

1st GRONHOLM Marcus (FIN) 10
2nd LOEB Sébastien (FRA) 8
3rd GARDEMEISTER Toni (FIN) 6
4th STOHL Manfred (AUT) 5
5th SARRAZIN Stéphane (FRA) 4
6th ATKINSON Chris (AUS) 3
7th HIRVONEN Mikko (FIN) 2
8th SORDO Daniel (ESP) 1

Above are the final results for the Monte Carlo WRC Rally. Since this is the first rally of the season, the results also reflect the overall WRC position. Local hero Loeb was pleased to recover second place after spinning off on Day 1, but the Rally prize goes to Finns Marcus Grönholm and co-driver Timo Rautiainen, who prevent Loeb from dominating a fouth Monte Carlo Rally in a row. More photos coming soon.

Drivers' world championship 2005
Name Car Nat Points
1 Sebastien Loeb Citroen Fra 127
=2 Petter Solberg Subaru Nor 71
=2 Marcus Gronholm Peugeot Fin 71
4 Toni Gardemeister Ford Fin 58
5 Markko Martin Peugeot Est 53
6 Francois Duval Citroen Bel 37
7 Harri Rovanpera Mitsubishi Fin 31
8 Roman Kresta Ford Cze 26
9 Manfred Stohl Citroen Aut 16
10 Mikko Hirvonen Ford Fin 14

Manufacturers' world championship 2005
Car Points
1 Citroen 178
2 Peugeot 135
3 Ford 100
4 Subaru 91
5 Mitsubishi 63
6 Skoda 18

Car Number: 1
Team: Kronos Total Citroen WRT (Belgium)
Driver And Co-Driver: Sébastien Loeb (France), Daniel Elena (Monaco)
Car: Citroen Xsara WRC

Because of the winter conditions, choice of tyres will play a crucial role as ever.

Finland's Marcus Gronholm maintained his lead in the Monte Carlo Rally, despite Sebastien Loeb grabbing five stage wins in his Citroen on Saturday.

Double world champion and Frenchman Loeb, skidded off the road on the opening day's final stage on Friday.

But Saturday was a clean sweep for Loeb, and he won of most of Sunday's stages too bringing him up to 2nd place.

Former double champion Gronholm had to be content with one stage win but that was enough to maintain his overnight lead.

"If I don't have any problems I should be able to remain in the lead right up to the finish," he said. And indeed he did.

"I'm happy to be in front but I don't like the changeable conditions. It's about survival, not driving as fast as possible."

Popov's car, like Loeb's, spun off the road and headed down the mountainside, finally coming to rest in a mangled heap. Fortunately neither driver nor co-driver was seriously hurt.

Car Number: 37
Team: Jari-Matti Latvala (Fin)
Driver And Co-Driver: Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland), Miikka Anttila (Finland)
Car: Subaru Impreza WRX Sti

Car Number: 40
Driver: Stefano Marrini
Co-Driver: Tiziana Sandroni
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 43
Driver: Sasen Popov
Co-Driver: Dilian Popov
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Crashed on Day 1 and retired

Car Number: 44
Driver: David Higgins
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 44
Driver: David Higgins
Co-Driver: X
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 33
Team: Advan-Piaa Rally Team (Japan)
Driver And Co-Driver: Fumio Nutahara (Japan), Daniel Barritt (GB)
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX

Car Number: 39
Driver: Nasser Al Attiyah
Co-Driver: Chris Patterson
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4

Car Number: 65
Driver: Philippe Roux
Co-Driver: Eric Jordan
Car: Peugeot 206 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 8
Driver: Henning Solberg
Co-Driver: Cato Menkerud
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 26
Team: Daniel Sordo (Spain)
Driver And Co-Driver: Daniel Sordo (Spain), Marc Marti (Spain)
Car: Citroen Xsara WRC

Car Number: 1
Team: Kronos Total Citroen WRT (Belgium)
Driver And Co-Driver: Sébastien Loeb (France), Daniel Elena (Monaco)
Car: Citroen Xsara WRC

Spun of on Day 1 but managed to crawl back to 2nd place by Day 3

Car Number: 2
Team: Kronos Total Citroen WRT (Belgium)
Driver And Co-Driver: Xevi Pons (Spain), Carlos Del Barrio (Spain)
Car: Citroen Xsara WRC

Car Number: 18
Team: Subaru Rally Team Australia (Australia)
Driver And Co-Driver: Chris Atkinson (Australia), Glenn Macneall (Australia)
Car: Subaru Impreza WRC 05

6th place - 3 points

Car Number: 63
Driver: Olivier Burri
Co-Driver: Christophe Hofmann
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 25
Team: Gigi Galli (Italy)
Driver And Co-Driver: Gigi Galli (Italy), Giovanni Bernacchini (Italy)
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer WR05

Car Number: 67
Driver: Austin MacHale
Co-Driver: Brian Murphy
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 64
Driver: E Gareth MacHale
Co-Driver: Paul Magle
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 77
Driver: Michel Gioffre
Co-Driver: Eric Sgarroni
Car: Renault Clio K
Co-Driver: Car
Class: A6

Car Number: 63
Driver: Olivier Burri
Co-Driver: Christophe Hofmann
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 63
Driver: Olivier Burri
Co-Driver: Christophe Hofmann
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 37
Team: Jari-Matti Latvala (Fin)
Driver And Co-Driver: Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland), Miikka Anttila (Finland)
Car: Subaru Impreza WRX Sti

The Rally will be held from the 19th to the 22th of January 2006. Although most of the action takes place in the snow-capped mountains behind Monaco, the cars return to Monaco between every stage. The WRC (World Rally Championship) trucks have started to arrive. I'll be posting photos here so check back in a couple of days.






For detailed information see the Automobile Club de Monaco Official Site

Car Number: 1
Driver: Sébastien Loeb
Co-Driver: Daniel Elena
Car: Citroën Xsara WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 2
Driver: Xavier Pons
Co-Driver: Carlos Del Barrio
Car: Citroën Xsara WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 3
Driver: Marcus Grönholm
Co-Driver: Rautiainen
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 4
Driver: Mikko Hirvonen
Co-Driver: Jarmo Lehtinen
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 6
Driver: Stéphane Sarrazin
Co-Driver: Stéphane Prevot
Car: Subaru Impreza WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 7
Driver: Manfred Stohl
Co-Driver: Ilka Minor
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 8
Driver: Henning Solberg
Co-Driver: Cato Menkerud
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 9
Driver: Matthew Wilson
Co-Driver: Michael Orr
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 10
Driver: Pieter Tsjoen
Co-Driver: Eddy Chevalier
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 11
Driver: Gilles Panizzi
Co-Driver: Hervé Panizzi
Car: Skoda Fabia WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 12
Driver: Andreas Aigner
Co-Driver: Timo Gottschalk
Car: Skoda Fabia WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 16
Driver: Toni Gardemeister
Co-Driver: Jakke Honkanen
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 17
Driver: François Duval
Co-Driver: Sven Smeet
Car: Skoda Fabia WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 18
Driver: Chris Atkinson
Co-Driver: Glenn Macneall
Car: Subaru Impreza WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 20
Driver: Alexandre Bengue
Co-Driver: Caroline Escudero
Withdrawn

Car Number: 25
Driver: Gigi Galli
Co-Driver: Giovanni Bernacchini
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: A8

Car Number: 26
Driver: Daniel Sordo
Co-Driver: Marc Marti
Car: Citroën Xsara WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 33
Driver: Fumio Nutahara
Co-Driver: Daniel Barritt
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 37
Driver: Jari Latvala
Co-Driver: Anttila Miikka Matti
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4

Car Number: 39
Driver: Nasser Al Attiyah
Co-Driver: Chris Patterson
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4

Car Number: 40
Driver: Stefano Marrini
Co-Driver: Tiziana Sandroni
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 43
Driver: Sasen Popov
Co-Driver: Dilian Popov
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 44
Driver: David Higgins
Co-Driver:
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 62
Driver: Jan Kopecky
Co-Driver: Filip Schovanek
Car: Skoda Fabia WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 63
Driver: Olivier Burri
Co-Driver: Christophe Hofmann
Car: Peugeot 307 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 64
Driver: Gareth MacHale
Co-Driver: Paul Magle
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 65
Driver: Philippe Roux
Co-Driver: Eric Jordan
Car: Peugeot 206 WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 66
Driver: Riccardo Errani
Co-Driver: Stefano Casadio
Car: Skoda Octavia
Class: A8

Car Number: 67
Driver: Austin MacHale
Co-Driver: Brian Murphy
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 68
Driver: Eamonn Boland
Co-Driver: Francis Regan
Car: Ford Focus WRC
Class: A8

Car Number: 69
Driver: Tchine
Co-Driver: Philippe Dupuy
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: A8

Car Number: 71
Driver: Catudal
Co-Driver: Gilles Ramoin
Car: Peugeot 306 Driver: Maxi
Class: A7

Car Number: 72
Driver: Sandro Martin
Co-Driver: Denis Pozzo
Car: Renault Clio
Class: A7

Car Number: 73
Driver: Marc Dessi
Co-Driver: Vanessa Dessi
Car: Renault Clio
Class: A7

Car Number: 74
Driver: Philippe Barbero
Co-Driver: Patrice Gullino
Car: Renault Clio
Class: A7

Car Number: 75
Driver: Marc Amourette
Co-Driver: Gwenola Marie
Car: Citroën C2
Class: A6

Car Number: 76
Driver: Martin Prokop
Co-Driver: X
Car: Citroën C2
Class: A6

Car Number: 77
Driver: Michel Gioffre
Co-Driver: Eric Sgarroni
Car: Renault Clio K
Co-Driver: Car
Class: A6

Car Number: 78
Driver: Maike Suhr
Co-Driver: Inge Müller
Car: Suzuki Ignis
Class: A6

Car Number: 79
Driver: Michel Boetti
Co-Driver: Nas De Tourris
Car: Citroën Saxo
Class: A6

Car Number: 80
Driver: Fabiano Lo Fiego
Co-Driver: Claude Rayssac
Car: Citroën Saxo
Class: A6

Car Number: 81
Driver: Stéphane Cornu
Co-Driver: Benoît Legras
Car: Citroën Saxo
Class: A6

Car Number: 82
Driver: Aaron Burkart
Co-Driver: Kevin Zemanik
Car: Citroën Saxo
Class: A6

Car Number: 83
Driver: Patrick Heintz
Co-Driver: Roland Scherrer
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4

Car Number: 84
Driver: Tibor Cserhalmi
Co-Driver: Milos Hulka
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 85
Driver: Michel Bonfils
Co-Driver: René Belleville
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4

Car Number: 86
Driver: Milan Chvojka
Co-Driver: Zuzana Chvojkova
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 87
Driver: S. Rafael Martinez
Co-Driver: B. R. Marchena
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4

Car Number: 88
Driver: Richard Frau
Co-Driver: Serge Legars
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 89
Driver: Andrej Jereb
Co-Driver: Miran Kacin
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4

Car Number: 90
Driver: Jukka Jalonen
Co-Driver:
Car: Mitsubishi Lancer
Class: N4

Car Number: 91
Driver: Juraj Sebalj
Co-Driver: Toni Klinc
Car: Subaru Impreza
Class: N4