Ogier will begin his quest for a seventh world title on a rally that's based out of the Frenchman's hometown of Gap and one that he's won in each of the last six years. Team-mate and proven rally winner Evans will also target a strong start to an exciting new chapter in his career, while young talent
Rallye Monte-Carlo provides a challenging place for the trio to get to grips with their new surroundings in the heat of WRC competition. The oldest rally in the calendar, first run in 1911, is notorious for its difficult changeable conditions which can range from dry asphalt to snow and ice--sometimes within a single stage. This makes tyre choice a critical factor throughout the event, with drivers relying on their ice-note crews to provide them with the latest information on stage conditions.
Shakedown takes place close to the Gap service park on Wednesday afternoon before the rally starts from
Quotes
"Rallye Monte-Carlo is always an exciting event at the start of a new season, and it should be especially interesting this year with many drivers in different cars, and in our case a completely new line-up. It is a rally that we are yet to win as a team, but we have finished on the podium every time and our performance there has been strong. Sebastien's record on this event is brilliant and he has won it in many different cars, so I am sure that he will be in the fight again even though he will still be getting to know our car. I think it will be similar for Elfyn, who has shown good speed on the Monte before. For Kalle, on the other hand, there will be absolutely no pressure, because this is a really hard rally to make your debut on and one where you need to have experience. But I am confident that as a team we can get a strong result to begin our challenge for this year's championship."
"I'm excited to start my first rally in the Toyota Yaris WRC. Every car has different characteristics and it takes some kilometres to learn about them, but so far it has been good in the tests. We want to fight for a seventh title this year, and I believe we can have a good chance with this car. Rallye Monte-Carlo is an event with special emotions for me. I remember at the end of the 1990s, coming to spectate and Tommi was winning a lot--he was the first idol I had in rallying. Myself and Julien obviously have a very strong record too, and every year there is more and more pressure to try and continue that. It's always a big challenge and one that I definitely enjoy."
"I'm looking forward to Rallye Monte-Carlo and my first event with
"Rallye Monte-Carlo will be a special event for me. It's a big step up from an R5 car, with a lot more power and downforce, but so far I've found the Yaris WRC to be quite easy to drive in the tests. Still, I have a lot to learn and I think it will take a few rallies to really adapt to the car and how everything works. I will need to think differently at the beginning of the season, and I hope that I will have the patience for this. I think
About
Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
© Japan Corporate News, source