Star-studded entry for WRC opener

The 2012 World Rally Championship is set for a flying start after 89 crews entered the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Seven world champions, six winners of world championship rallies, a double European title-holder and the inaugural FIA WRC Academy Cup champion are among those set to tackle the motorsport showpiece from 17-22 January.

Sebastien Loeb, world rally champion for the past eight seasons, heads the entry in his Citroen Total World Rally Team DS3 WRC. Joining him in the French squad is new team-mate Mikko Hirvonen, who switched from Ford during the close-season. Highly rated Belgian Thierry Neuville will compete in a privateer DS3.

Finn Jari-Matti Latvala heads Ford’s challenge in a Fiesta RS WRC alongside Petter Solberg, who returns to the Blue Oval for the first time since 2000. A further six Fiesta RS WRCs will also be in action on the asphalt event with former Monte Carlo winner Francois Delecour the pick of the bunch in his private entry.

Spaniard Dani Sordo continues to front MINI’s WRC bid although regular team-mate Kris Meeke’s seat has been taken by emerging French star Pierre Campana. British talent Meeke remains part of MINI’s world championship effort but his programme for 2012 has yet to be finalised.

Portugal’s Armindo Araujo and Brazilian Paulo Nobre will pilot a brace of privateer MINIs, meaning there will be a total of 16 World Rally Cars in action.

As well as counting as round one of the 2012 WRC, Rallye Monte-Carlo is also the first round of this season’s Super 2000 World Rally Championship. Inaugural WRC Academy champion Craig Breen will be among the frontrunners in his Fiesta, while double Junior world champion PG Andersson and twice European champion Giandomenico Basso form Proton’s factory line-up.

Pole Michal Kosciuszko and Italian Lorenzo Bertelli are among those in contention for Production Car World Rally Championship honours.

Other notable runners include seven-time WRC event winner Sebastien Ogier in a Volkswagen Motorsport-run Skoda Fabia, former Junior championship ace Kevin Abbring and last year’s Rallye Monte-Carlo winner Bryan Bouffier.