Rallye Monte Carlo starts on Wednesday. This year it is part of the IRC, a new rally championship run by Eurosport events with FIA approval.

WRC didn't want Monte this year so it is part of IRC. There will be 3 works teams entered in IRC this year (more than WRC!) including Skoda who will run Jan Kopecky and Juho Hanninen. British interest should come from Kris Meeke in a Peugeot 207.

Several stages of the event will be televised live on Eurosport, which is really revolutionary for rallying. Those who don't have Eurosport can watch online too.

Event preview and tv times here: Rallye Monte Carlo: Preview : Rallye-Info.com

Further news, entry list, photos from the event here: 2009 IRC 77è Rallye Monte Carlo : Rallye-Info.com

I will also post updates in this thread throughout the event.

Just wanted to add, this is Skoda's livery for the 2009 season:

Shame there's not a road-going version !

I already posted this elsewhere as well, but to give you a little taster, here is a video of the Fabia's final shakedown test in the Czech Republic before leaving for Monte: Dailymotion - Test_Skoda_Fabia_S2000_II, a video from RIGIBIKER. test, skoda, fabia, s2000II

Looking forward to it - just imagine Skoda winning, and the press and prestige. Not impossible, but I'd make Peugeot the favourites.

I still cant get my head round the fact the Monte is not part of the WRC - What were they thinking? Can you imagine F1 without Monaco - it just wouldn't happen - the FIA are numpies, who couldn't run a **** up in a brewery. They way they've let the WRC crumble is shameful.

Rant over!!

Very tricky conditions on Monte this morning.

Kopecky hit power steering problems on SS1 and dropped 4 minutes but Hanninen was 2nd fastest.

SS2 both cars set good times and Hanninen moved into the lead.

SS3 at 15:05 this afternoon, live on Eurosport, live stage times here: BFGOODRICH RESULTS - RALLYE AUTOMOBILE MONTE-CARLO 2009

After the first leg, Juho Hanninen (Fabia) is in the lead ahead of Stephane Sarrazin (Peugeot) and Nicolas Vouilloz (Peugeot)

Report from day one: Hanninen leads Monte on Fabia's debut : Rallye-Info.com

Impressive considering its his first Monte outing. Hopefully he doesn't get too confident and it to end in tears.

Impressive considering its his first Monte outing. Hopefully he doesn't get too confident and it to end in tears.

Skoda won stages 4, 5, 6 and were 1-2 on the televised stage 8 but Hanninen got a puncture on the final stage today and dropped 2m30s. He is now third, one minute behind the lead with 5 stages to go. The last 4 stages are held in the dark tomorrow evening and include the famous "Col de Turini" twice. All tomorrow evenings stages will be televised.

Skoda won stages 4, 5, 6 and were 1-2 on the televised stage 8 but Hanninen got a puncture on the final stage today and dropped 2m30s. He is now third, one minute behind the lead with 5 stages to go. The last 4 stages are held in the dark tomorrow evening and include the famous "Col de Turini" twice. All tomorrow evenings stages will be televised.

I must tune in

:orb_wave:

> ACM >> Automobile Club de Monaco

Kopecky 5, Hanninen out :(

But the rallye isn't finish, with the next night with the Turini.

Have a good day ! (and sorry for my English)

Kopecky up to 4th but could have been leading without his power steering problems on SS1.

2 stages to go, just watched the live Turini stages, great stuff!

Quite an impressive start for the new Fabia then

Live action, the full season, & replys can be found here: IRC - Intercontinental Rally Challenge

Kopecky finished 4th in the end. A good start but it could have been ever better, a 1-2 was even possible!

Looking forward to the next event for Skoda.

Live coverage on was great. Far better that the interviews, service shots and were occasion action that has been a feature of WRC coverage recently. Well done Eurosport

Live coverage on was great. Far better that the interviews, service shots and were occasion action that has been a feature of WRC coverage recently. Well done Eurosport

Yeah! For rallying, it was revolutionary. I'm amazed they managed to pick up the signal from the onboard cameras all the way through the 30km Turini stage.

IRC will do 3 more events live this year, 6-8 next year and the whole IRC championship in 2011!

Look out for the IRC coming to Scotland in November - stages etc still to be announced but it is supposed to be based around Stirling / Perth - an area which has some classic stages!

What a great event - and what might have been for Skoda. The cars seems quick straight out of the box - is already quicker than the Abarth's and will surely get quicker as the season goes on.

Well done to ACM for organising a traditional Monte (even organising the weather), proper night stages, a proper Rally!

Well done also to Eurosport for their excellent coverage - this has never been done before - watching the Col de Turini from the comfort of the armchair. Fantastic stuff.

The WRC is now in serious trouble from this young upstart - apart from the name, history and 4-5 drivers - it's got nothing going for it. Just look at the same, stale coverage on Dave.

Finally, a mini Rant - very disappointed with the lack of coverage in the UK media - this is the Monte - the most famous Rally in the world - with more history than that other event that takes place in Monaco. Ignorant isn't the word.

What a great event - and what might have been for Skoda. The cars seems quick straight out of the box - is already quicker than the Abarth's and will surely get quicker as the season goes on.

Well done to ACM for organising a traditional Monte (even organising the weather), proper night stages, a proper Rally!

Well done also to Eurosport for their excellent coverage - this has never been done before - watching the Col de Turini from the comfort of the armchair. Fantastic stuff.

The WRC is now in serious trouble from this young upstart - apart from the name, history and 4-5 drivers - it's got nothing going for it. Just look at the same, stale coverage on Dave.

Finally, a mini Rant - very disappointed with the lack of coverage in the UK media - this is the Monte - the most famous Rally in the world - with more history than that other event that takes place in Monaco. Ignorant isn't the word.

Well said

Three days of rallying packed into 45mins of Dave is a joke!

Congratulations Eurosport

Could we/would we ever see Lob in an S2000 Fab or will he stay in the PSA stable if the WRC folds and is replaced by the IRC. Is the jungle drums beating over this very topic??????.

Could we/would we ever see Lob in an S2000 Fab or will he stay in the PSA stable if the WRC folds and is replaced by the IRC. Is the jungle drums beating over this very topic??????.

It will be very hard for IRC to ever superseed WRC because WRC has "the name" However, IRC is a series very much on the up at the moment whereas WRC is stagnant at best. There seemed to be more interested around IRC Monte Carlo than the WRC Rally of Ireland.

As for Loeb, I think he will stay within the PSA stable, and if he doesn't stay in rallying he will go and do some more endurance racing.