Late January, whispers become roars. Engines growl to life in Monaco and Gap Fontreyne. Wheels spin on asphalt that can shift from dry to ice. And from Monaco to the foothills of the Alps and back to the Principality, the world’s oldest and most storied rally is about to stage its latest drama: La Route à 66.
More Than Just a Number
This year’s edition of the Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, it’s 94th, opens the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship calendar from January 22 to 25, and the buzz around the event has centred on its expanded field. Though the regulations initially capped competitors at 60, the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), the guardians of Monte-Carlo’s rally heritage, made the bold decision to accept 66 crews.
This widens the grid while preserving the rigour and prestige that have defined this rally since its inception in 1911 at the behest of Prince Albert I. Conceived to showcase automotive innovation and promote the Mediterranean principality, the Rallye Monte-Carlo has evolved into one of the toughest, most unpredictable tests in competition.
Legends on the Line
The world’s elite are lining up. Sébastien Ogier (going for his 11th win here!) and navigator Vincent Landais, the defending champions, headline a galaxy of talent that includes an impressive array of 11 Rally1 cars, the pinnacle of contemporary rally engineering. Toyota leads the charge, with formidable opposition from Hyundai and M-Sport Ford.
Among those chasing glory are seasoned maestros like Elfyn Evans and Thierry Neuville, plus emerging stars poised to seize their moment. Across the spectrum from WRC2 to Rally3, 66 crews from 22 different nations will vie for supremacy on a route that demands not only speed but strategic thinking, tyre mastery, and nerves of steel.
What Makes Monte-Carlo Legendary
Unlike many circuit races, the Monte-Carlo Rally unfolds on public roads that transform with altitude, weather, and luck. Competitors might begin a special stage on dry tarmac and find themselves battling through ice and snow mere kilometres later.
Perhaps nowhere is this unpredictability more celebrated than on segments like the Col de Turini, where hairpins and ice patches turn driving into an art form. Past editions have been defined by dramatic moments: spinning wheels, last-minute tyre gambles, and victories snatched from the jaws of defeat.
A Rally for Every Era
While La Route à 66 celebrates the cutting edge of rally technology this January, the Monte-Carlo spirit also honours its rich past. Soon after the WRC curtain-raiser, 29th January – 7th February 2026, the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique kicks off, inviting pre-1986 classics to traverse a course that blends nostalgia with the demanding precision of a regularity rally. From gleaming Porsche 911s to the singular charm of a Mini Cooper S, these historic machines remind us that passion, not just horsepower, drives this sport.
