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| Name | Country | Area | Population | Language |
| Monte-Carlo | Monaco | 2 Km2 | 35000 | French |
Mountain roads, highly technical event with frequent grip changes
The World Rally Championship season starts with one of the most renowned and feared rally on the calendar. The Rally of Monte Carlo is the most famous road race in the world and also one of the most difficult. Winter brings to this asphalt rally an unpredictable mix of road conditions. Snow, ice, rain or dry pavement can be seen in this quick-changing environment.
Drivers who are hoping to win the Rally of Monte Carlo need to be all-around performers who also have an excellent knowledge of the course and possess the ability to make the best use of the tyres in these quick-changing road conditions. The stage roads are sometimes icy or covered by snow on 10, 20 or 30 % of the distance.
The Rally of Monte Carlo is one of the oldest but also one of the most prestigious events on the calendar : it was back in 1911 that the first edition of the Monte Carlo rally took place. Since that date, it has become a meeting known throughout the world that leaves drivers with the desire of etching their name amongst the past winners of this World Rally Championship event.
The purists among us may regret the disappearance of the format in which drivers would start from various European towns. They may also miss the customary night stage that brought the event to a close as well as the stages in Ardeche (Burzet, Antraigues) and in the Vercors (St Jean-en-Royan). Apart from these modifications, the Monte Carlo rally has had to adapt itself over the years to modern rally formats. Nevertheless, it remains a top class event that even today allow for some impressive racing action.
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