This weekend’s Monte Carlo Rally kickstarts the 2024 WRC season where the title fight has been blown wide open following Kalle Rovanpera’s recent announcement.
The reigning, two-time world champion will partially contest the 2024 season to “recharge his batteries” ahead of a return to full-time competition in 2025.
Rovanpera’s absence leaves 2019 world champion Ott Tanak, his Hyundai team-mate and five-time runner-up Thierry Neuville and three-time runner-up Elfyn Evans as the favourites for the 2024 WRC crown.
Their championship fight will begin with the Monte Carlo Rally, which has returned to the south-eastern French town of Gap – it previously hosted the event from 2014-21 - while the principality undergoes infrastructure work. However, Monaco will still hold the ceremonial start and finish ahead of the official prize-giving ceremony.
The 2024 Monte Carlo Rally will also debut a new scoring system for WRC, as points are now on offer at the end of Saturday and Sunday to stop drivers from preserving tyres for the weekend closing Power Stage, which also offers bonus points.
So, here are the timings you need for the weekend and how to watch the season opening Monte Carlo Rally, which has a total competitive distance of 201 miles over snow and tarmac.
When is the Monte Carlo Rally?
- Date: 25-28 January
- Start time: 3:52pm GMT/4:52pm local time on Thursday 25 January
The opening round of the 2024 WRC season, the Monte Carlo Rally, starts at 3:52pm in the United Kingdom and 4:52pm local time on Thursday 25 January. However, the first stage does not start until later in the day at 7:35pm in the UK and 8:35pm local time.
Before the opening stage of the Monte Carlo Rally is today's (24 January) shakedown at 3:31pm in the UK - 4:31pm local time – where drivers test various set-ups to fine-tune the car to its optimum state.
|
Date |
Leg |
Leg total |
Start time |
|
Wednesday 24 January |
Shakedown |
2.04 miles |
3:31pm GMT/4:31pm local time |
|
Thursday 25 January |
Ceremonial start |
N/A |
3:52pm GMT/4:52pm local time |
|
Thursday 25 January |
Stage 1 - Stage 2 |
28.71 miles |
7:35pm GMT/8:35pm local time |
|
Friday 26 January |
Stage 3 - Stage 5 |
32.85 miles |
7:51am GMT/8:51am local time |
|
Friday 26 January |
Stage 6 - Stage 8 |
32.85 miles |
1:56pm GMT/2:56pm local time |
|
Saturday 27 January |
Stage 9 - Stage 11 |
37.41 miles |
7:05am GMT/8:05am local time |
|
Saturday 27 January |
Stage 12 - Stage 14 |
37.41 miles |
1:05pm GMT/2:05pm local time |
|
Sunday 28 January |
Stage 15 - Stage 16 |
23.20 miles |
6:04am GMT/7:04am local time |
|
Sunday 28 January |
Stage 17 (Power Stage) |
9.20 miles |
11:15am GMT/12:15pm local time |
How can I watch the World Rally Championship?
TNT Sports (formerly known as BT Sport) will go into its 10th year of broadcasting the WRC in 2024.
This means a subscription is needed to watch WRC in the UK with TNT available from £18 a month for new customers which includes all four sports channels and Discovery+. Discovery+ is TNT’s live streaming platform, so the action can also be streamed via mobile and tablet devices or a console.
The series can also be watched via rally.tv, which live streams each round and more for the WRC, European Rally Championship and World Rallycross Championship. Rally.tv offers two deals to new customers: an annual pass for £199.99 or a monthly pass for £12.99.
How can I watch the Monte Carlo Rally?
TNT Sports will broadcast every stage of the Monte Carlo Rally where coverage starts with shakedown for UK viewers. It begins again on Thursday afternoon for the ceremonial start before returning that evening for the opening two stages.
Early starts commence the action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while TNT will take a break at lunchtime before returning to cover the afternoon stages on each day. A similar format will be used by Rally.TV, who will also broadcast every stage of the Monte Carlo Rally but not with one continuous live stream.
|
Date |
Leg |
Channel |
Coverage from |
|
Wednesday 24 January |
Shakedown |
TNT Sports Extra 1 |
3:30pm GMT |
|
Thursday 25 January |
Ceremonial start |
TNT Sports Extra 1 |
2:15pm GMT |
|
Thursday 25 January |
Stage 1 - Stage 2 |
TNT Sports Extra 1/TNT Sports 1 |
7pm GMT/7:30pm GMT |
|
Friday 26 January |
Stage 3 - Stage 5 |
TNT Sports 4 |
7:45am GMT |
|
Friday 26 January |
Stage 6 - Stage 8 |
TNT Sports 2 |
1:45pm GMT |
|
Saturday 27 January |
Stage 9 - Stage 11 |
TNT Sports 4 |
7am GMT |
|
Saturday 27 January |
Stage 12 - Stage 14 |
TNT Sports 4 |
1pm GMT |
|
Sunday 28 January |
Stage 15 - Stage 16 |
TNT Sports Extra 1/TNT Sports 4 |
5:30am GMT/6am GMT |
|
Sunday 28 January |
Stage 17 (Power Stage) |
TNT Sports 4 |
11am GMT |
|
Date |
Leg |
Channel |
Coverage from |
|
Wednesday 24 January |
Shakedown |
Rally.tv |
3:30pm GMT |
|
Thursday 25 January |
Ceremonial start |
Rally.tv |
2:15pm GMT |
|
Thursday 25 January |
Stage 1 - Stage 2 |
Rally.tv |
7:30pm GMT |
|
Friday 26 January |
Stage 3 - Stage 5 |
Rally.tv |
7:45am GMT |
|
Friday 26 January |
Stage 6 - Stage 8 |
Rally.tv |
1:45pm GMT |
|
Saturday 27 January |
Stage 9 - Stage 11 |
Rally.tv |
7am GMT |
|
Saturday 27 January |
Stage 12 - Stage 14 |
Rally.tv |
1pm GMT |
|
Sunday 28 January |
Stage 15 - Stage 16 |
Rally.tv |
6am GMT |
|
Sunday 28 January |
Stage 17 (Power Stage) |
Rally.tv |
11am GMT |
When can I watch the Monte Carlo Rally highlights?
Monte Carlo Rally highlights are available via Red Bull TV, who will broadcast a package at 9pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. TNT Sports will also air a 30-minute programme at differing times on those nights showing the day’s action, while ITV4 will show a one-hour package on Tuesday 30 January.
Elsewhere, daily highlights are available via Autosport while the official WRC YouTube channel also tends to upload a shorter highlights reel soon after the action has finished.
|
Date |
Channel |
Time |
|
Friday 26 January |
Red Bull TV |
9pm GMT |
|
Friday 26 January |
TNT Sports 1 |
10pm GMT |
|
Saturday 27 January |
Red Bull TV |
9pm GMT |
|
Saturday 27 January |
TNT Sports 4 |
10:30pm GMT |
|
Sunday 28 January |
Red Bull TV |
9pm GMT |
|
Sunday 28 January |
TNT Sports 3 |
9:45pm GMT |
|
Tuesday 30 January |
ITV4 |
8pm GMT |
Rally1 entry list for Monte Carlo Rally
|
Team |
Driver |
Co-driver |
|
Louis Louka |
||
|
Alexandre Coria |
||
|
Hyundai |
Ott Tanak |
|
|
Thierry Neuville |
||
|
Toyota |
Sebastien Ogier |
|
|
Elfyn Evans |
What is the route for the Monte Carlo Rally?
The 2024 Monte Carlo Rally consists of 17 special stages covering a total competitive distance of 201 miles. Drivers first tackle two-night stages on Thursday beginning with Thoard (13.1 miles) before heading north to Bayons (15.7 miles).
WRC drivers then face an early start on Friday, where cars will tackle two identical loops of three stages in the morning and afternoon. It starts with 10.4 miles of Saint-Leger-les-Melezes - 40.2 miles north of Bayons - before heading northeast towards Champcella (11.1 miles) and then south to the mountains of La Breole (11.4 miles).
It’s another early start on Saturday, which follows a similar format with double runs of Esparron (11.7 miles), Les Nonieres (12.5 miles) and Pellafol (13.3 miles). Sunday’s finale starts at 7:04am local time with a return to La Breole before heading 40 miles south for the penultimate stage of Digne-les-Bains (11.8 miles).
Monte Carlo Rally’s Power Stage then takes place at the scenic La Bollène-Vésubie - 43 miles north of Monaco - where bonus points are on offer to the top five pairings.
