Rain dominates in Monte

The weather conditions on this year’s Rallye Monte-Carlo have not been as icy and snowy as they have in previous years.

That has been confirmed by Michelin’s motorsport boss, Jacques Morelli, who told WRC.com that the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship has presented teams and drivers with a different challenge to previous years.

“It has been very, very wet this year – unbelievably wet,” he said. “There has been much less ice and snow but that has given the drivers a different challenge. That is the charm of Monte Carlo.

Crews encountered some snow on the opening morning of the rally and are expected to see more when the rally passes over the famous Col de Turini this afternoon.

But the generally milder weather has meant that the tread on Michelin’s winter tyres have been used to provide grip on water-soaked roads, rather than on ice and snow.

Morelli added: “The service area has moved to a higher altitude from Valence to Gap but unfortunately the weather has not been there to get the snow and ice.”