Rallye Monte-Carlo: Škoda crews kick off WRC2 campaign at the legendary season opener

› Gus Greensmith and co-driver Jonas Andersson start the first round of the FIA World Rally Championship with a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 prepared by team RaceSeven
› Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov are back in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 and compete for team Delta Rally
› Škoda crews Roberto Daprà/Luca Guglielmetti and Filip Kohn/Ross Whittock have nominated the “Monte” to score WRC2 Championship points

Mladá Boleslav, 22 January 2025 – Rallye Monte-Carlo kicks off the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) from 22-26 January. Due to the unstable winter weather and ever-changing road conditions, the outcome of the rally is as unpredictable as gambling in the Principality's casino. Thus, Škoda drivers Nikolay Gryazin and Gus Greensmith decided not to nominate the “Monte” as one of their seven WRC2 points-scoring events. On the other hand, Škoda drivers Roberto Daprà and Filip Kohn will compete for WRC2 glory.

The 2025 season opener features an impressive 33 entries in the RC2 category. Half of this field relies on a Škoda Fabia. Also, 23 crews have entered to score points in the WRC2 championship. 21-year-old Czech talent Filip Kohn, supported by experienced co-driver Ross Whittock from the UK, will make his Rallye Monte-Carlo debut at the wheel of a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 entered by team Baumschlager Rallye & Racing. Kohn used the Austrian Jänner-Rallye to prepare himself for driving on ice and snow – conditions he is likely to encounter on the “Monte” stages in the French Alps. The Italian Škoda crew of 23-year-old Roberto Daprà and co-driver Luca Guglielmetti is competing the iconic event for the third time.

Undisputed record holder among the RC2 entries is Swiss Škoda driver Olivier Burri. He is facing his 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo and is chasing points for the WRC2 Challenger classification. This category is reserved for privateers who have not yet won a title at WRC level.

Despite being considered contenders for the 2025 WRC2 title, Škoda drivers Nikolay Gryazin and Gus Greensmith will start Rallye Monte-Carlo without chasing category points. Both having changed teams during the winter break, they are using the season opener mainly as a test in competition conditions. But Nikolay Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov as well as Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson are fighting for the prestigious RC2 class victory and for a top position in the overall classification.

The shake-down gets Rallye Monte-Carlo underway today. On Thursday, the ceremonial start takes place at 2.30 pm in front of the Casino in Monte-Carlo. Three special stages in darkness follow. On Friday and Saturday respectively, six stages await the competitors. Sunday (26 January) has another three special stages in store, before the crews pass the prize giving ceremony at 4.15 pm. In total, the teams have to tackle 18 special stages covering 344 kilometres.

As usual on Alpine stages, the tyre choice is difficult and at the same time decisive. The teams must complete up to three special stages without service. During this time, they can only rely on the tyres mounted on their cars plus a maximum of two spare wheels. These tyres must come out of a contingent of dry tyres, winter tyres with studs and winter tyres without studs. Because one stage may be covered in snow while the next one may be icy, wet or even dry, the tyre choice is almost always a compromise. This year, the process of choosing the right tyre is even more complex. From Rallye Monte-Carlo onwards, Hankook is the new sole tyre supplier also for the RC2 category.

Did you know, that...

...the Rallye Monte-Carlo was first held in 1911, making it the oldest event on the current WRC calendar?

…until 1998 the participants (however, that year only the private crews) drove from starting points all over Europe and even North Africa to a common meeting point in Monte-Carlo or France, only where the real competition started?

…over the years, Škoda celebrated numerous successes at Rallye Monte-Carlo? In 1936, a Škoda Popular Sport started in Athens, reached Monaco after 3,852 kilometres of “Concentration Run” and finished the event second in its class. Škoda established itself as a strong competitor, evidenced by hat trick of class wins from 1961 to 1963 for the Škoda Octavia TS. The Škoda 130 RS topped this success in 1977 by celebrating a double-victory in its class, later, the Škoda Favorit continued the success with four consecutive class victories from 1991 to 1994. Finally, the Škoda Fabia in Rally2 specification won the class in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022.

...that the drivers are not obliged to choose tyres of the same type when they leave service? Depending on the conditions, they occasionally combine snow tyres with studs and almost treadless slicks in in different configurations to be prepared for all possible road conditions.

2025 FIA World Rally Championship

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