How WRC teams prepare for the ‘four-day marathon’ of Monte Carlo

New technical regulations and tire manufacturer changes have made preparations for the Monte Carlo Rally one of the most demanding and challenging for World Rally Championship teams in recent times. There have not been such significant changes to the WRC since the introduction of Rally1 cars in 2022, placing even greater importance on teams doing the best possible job with their Monte pre-event tests.

The reason for the test is even more important because Rally1 cars will run without hybrid power this year, as the FIA ​​decided to remove a key element of the original 2022 Rally1 package. This means the cars have lost 87 kg in weight and will run with a lower 35 mm air restrictor.

As a result, they would lose 130 horsepower but would be more agile without the extra weight. Teams now have to quickly understand how their cars react in certain conditions, and in some cases have modified exhaust systems, camshafts and gear ratios to accommodate the lack of hybrid boost.

But perhaps the biggest change for this season is the introduction of Hankook Control tires as the Korean company makes its debut in the top flight of rallying. Learning how tires perform on asphalt, gravel and snow has become a big part of WRC team testing plans.

These changes also prompted the ‘Monte Master’, Toyota’s nine-time event winner Sébastien Ogier, to suggest that WRC crews would be “less prepared than before”. It’s a view shared by Jordi Riba, Hyundai’s testing and development leader.

“I have been in the WRC for 10 years and this test is probably the most demanding because of the number of changes,” Riba told Autosport. We’ve traveled to the south of France, 30 minutes from Gap, host city of the Monte Carlo Rally, to see how the teams prepare.

“The car is the same, but the rules have changed a lot,” says Riba. “The car is light, there’s no hybrid in it and it can make our lives easier, but we’ve had the tire manufacturer change which is an additional It’s a challenge.”

How does testing work in WRC?

Ogier’s comments stem from the fact that testing in the WRC is extremely limited. Therefore a mistake in setting up the car during testing can have serious consequences in the rally. Teams are allocated 21 days a year to conduct pre-event testing in Europe in preparation for rallies, and this year an additional event on the calendar means there will be even more pressure to successfully execute testing programs. .

Apart from the testing allocation, teams are allowed unrestricted testing at their permanent facilities. Toyota and Hyundai both have gravel bases in Finland, while M-Sport has access to gravel roads near their Cumbria factory. But it is this pre-event test day allocation that must be used wisely to ensure that the car set-ups are correct and the drivers are comfortable with the conditions they will face in specific rallies.

The logistics involved are far more complex than testing in circuit racing, where a team simply rents a permanent race track to pound out laps after collecting data.

Earlier this month, Hyundai descended on southern France to select test roads similar to the stages and conditions where the crews will compete in the season opener. Drivers Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux completed a day each driving on different roads to gather vital information in preparation for the WRC’s annual curtain-raising event.

On paper it sounds simple, but in reality the logistics involved are far more complex than testing in circuit racing, where a team rents a permanent race track for pound rounds to collect data lap after lap. There are even more variables to consider in rallying.

First, a public road has to be selected that has similar aspects to the rally and then permission has to be obtained from local authorities to close the road. Marshals are then called in, usually from the local motor club, to ensure that the environment is safe for the drivers being tested and for people living in the area. So how does a team make something like this work?

“Since rallying is a confidence sport, we really need to work on things that make the driver feel confident that they can go faster,” explains Riba. “In circuit racing they can simulate a lot, but in rallying it largely depends on the conditions, so it can really change the way we work.

“We usually try to make our lives difficult by choosing roads that are more demanding than the real stages. We usually get a library of roads and depending on where we go, what we need, we decide which road to choose. The driver has to take the final decision as to where we go.

“We always need the permission of the local mayor (to close a road) because it will mean that the neighbors around the road will face some difficulties on the day we test, so of course we need the permission of the local authorities. Need to get green signal from. But there are some areas like here (near the Gap) where they are used to teams coming for Monte Carlo testing, so they make it easier for us.

Once the roads have been selected, a test plan is drawn up together with the drivers at the team headquarters in Alzenau to decide which items and settings will be tested. Once that’s in place, it’s time to hit the road.

Again, unlike circuit racing where teams usually work from permanent pit garages, most rally tests have mechanics and engineers working from tents set up at the roadside. However, when the opportunity arose to join Autosport Hyundai he fortunately took charge of a village workshop situated amidst the mountains.

Test days generally begin at 8:30 pm and end at 6 pm, during which period the designated road is closed to the public and marshaled. Once the car is unloaded from the truck and the mechanics have completed the initial set-up, the driver will use the first two runs to learn the road before starting serious racing.

On this occasion the road was covered with snow and ice – an ideal opportunity to understand how the Hankook-shod i20 N Rally1, synonymous with the Monte Carlo Rally, handles in the toughest conditions.

“In the first few runs, drivers become familiar with the road and the car, especially if the last time they drove it was on a different surface,” Riba said. “After that you can really start, but they are professional drivers so they get in the zone very quickly, so we can do three runs and start testing things.

“If the test goes well we can usually go more than 200 kilometers per day, but of course it can also depend on how long the road is, and if something goes wrong or you have to carry large vehicles in the car. There is a need to make changes. You could lose up to 45 minutes.

“We try not to stop for lunch, but when we stop for a long time we arrange food for the drivers. But sometimes mechanics and engineers just want to grab a bite to eat while they’re at the laptop, so we try to maximize our time.’

After a series of runs, the driver will return to the temporary service park to allow mechanics to make changes to the car as the team works on its testing plan. In frequently changing weather conditions, choosing the right rubber at the right time can decide the outcome in Monte Carlo. And since tires are new to everyone this year, it’s never been more important to get more data about how each compound performs.

“Testing is always important, but there was so much more to learn and discover,” reigning world champion Neuville told Autosport. “Obviously on a test day, you can’t do everything. I had some goals that I basically achieved and from there we move forward and see what happens. But no one can be completely prepared for Monte Carlo.

“As usual, we gained a lot during the day as we had a lot of tire runs and tire comparisons. In terms of chassis, I felt quite comfortable in the car initially, as it is a car we have known for the last few years.

“Monte Carlo is a big adventure and sometimes it’s a mistake to think it’s a sprint competition. It’s a four-day marathon.” Jordi Riba

“(Hankook Tire) is new, it’s different. It’s a little more edgy, that’s for sure, but we’ve been working on the tires and we’ll continue to work with the tires around Monte Carlo. We have to work closely with the tire manufacturer to make the product even stronger.

Is Hyundai ready for Monte Carlo?

According to Riba, three testing days are “not enough” to adjust Hankook’s tires in preparation for Monte Carlo, but the team is satisfied with the information gathered by Neuville, Tänak and Fourmaux. The latter, signed from M-Sport, has already made his competition debut at Hyundai, winning the 10-stage Rallye National Hivernal du Devoluy in December. Against protests that also included Toyota’s Calle RovanperäThis was Hankook’s first useful experience in the live stage for the French. Described himself as “pretty comfortable”,

However, the work done in testing will ultimately be judged when the action begins in Monte Carlo next week.

“I’m not completely satisfied, but we tried our best,” says Riba. “Monte Carlo is a big adventure and sometimes it’s a mistake to think it’s a sprint event. It is a four-day marathon on snow and slippery conditions. I think we’ve managed to get the package (ready), but we’ll see if it’s fast enough.

“We have tried to prepare as best as we can for testing week. But three days are not enough. In the rally we will see who has prepared best.”