The city of coronations once again hosts the start of the historic Monte-Carlo Rally. A regularity car event, reserved for cars from before 1982, with uninterrupted success for more than 25 years.
A few days after the 91st Monte-Carlo Motor Rally, round of the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), it is its “Historical” version, the 25th of the name, which will start from five major European cities, including Reims, Thursday January 26. The Cité des coronations is also the only one not to have missed a single edition of this event, thanks to the work and passion of the members of the Reims Champagne Historic Sporting Vehicles (RCVHS) association. A fidelity to the test which is by no means obvious. “It’s always a challenge to keep the flame of the rally alive in order to face competition from other major French and European cities”, recalled Alexis Boulain, new president of the Reims association, welcoming his predecessor in passing. , Jean-Claude Leuvrey, “to whom Reims owes its friendship with Monaco”.
Thursday January 26, from 7 p.m., 105 crews will therefore head for the Principality from the organized start near the Halles du Boulingrin, while dozens of others will do the same from Oslo, London, Bad-Homburg and Turin. The day before, the first competitors will submit their legendary cars to the usual technical checks. Acclaimed by the general public, this sequence will be held at the Parc des expositions on Wednesday January 25 from 2.30 p.m. and Thursday January 26 from 8.30 a.m. All enthusiasts and curious people are obviously invited to come and take a closer look these exceptional vehicles: only models that took the start of a classic Monte-Carlo between 1911 and 1982. This moment is also the perfect opportunity to see the drivers and above all to chat with them. Among the personalities expected, we can mention Claude Andruet, double French Rally champion, and Carlos Tavares, general manager of Stellantis and a regular at the event.
For the starters from Reims, the road leading to the south of France will pass in particular by the avenue de Champagne in Epernay and Vitry-le-François. On the other hand, the pleasant stop at Mailly-Champagne has been deleted. “This year, Monegasque officials have decided to leave the participants free to take the route of their choice, with the exception of course of a few compulsory stage points, to join the concentration stage, explains the president. of RCVHS, so that we could not guarantee the passage of the crews in the commune of the Montagne de Reims. »
