The organisers of the Rallye Monte Carlo confirmed the full route for next year's event recently - and just like this season they look set to really push the boundaries.
This year Monte Carlo set a new precedent for modern WRC events by including night stages on the Thursday, however the 76th edition looks set to be just as controversial with four-days of 'proper' stages planned - something that goes against the current regulations, which requires WRC organisers to stick to a three-day format.
Indeed under the itinerary for the 2008 event, which will run from January 24-27, the Monaco Grand Prix circuit super special on the Sunday will be replaced by two 'proper' stages in Turini, each run twice.
How this will work logistically remains to be seen, especially as the main bulk of the event will take place in the Ardeche region of France.
The rest of the schedule meanwhile is virtually identical to this year's event, with two night stages on the Thursday in Vercors, followed by two loops of three stages on the Friday and Saturday, once again in Ardèche and Haute-Loire respectively.
The key change here is on the Friday, with the Saint Pierreville test [SS3 and SS6] now finishing at Col de la Fayolle as opposed to Antraigues, cutting the length from 46.02 kilometres to 28.50 kilometres.
"The departments of Drome and Ardeche will again receive competitors for the 76th RAMC, as in 2007, and Valence will be the central hub of the Rally for a week," confirmed a statement on the events official website. "But the Alpes Maritimes has not been forgotten, with the entire fourth leg returning to the famous Turini run, to be raced twice on Sunday January 27 2008."
The complete provisional timetable for the 76th Rallye Monte Carlo is as follows:
Thursday 24 January:
Valence Cermonial Start Champ de Mars 18.00
SS1 St Jean en Royans-Col de Lachau 28.12 km 19.16
SS2 La Cime du Mas - Col de Gaudissart 17.58 km 20.06
Flexi Service A Valence (45 mins) 23.00
Finish 23.45
Total Leg 1 distance: 169.31 km (competitive 45.70 km)
Friday 25 January:
Start Valence 06.50
Service B Valence (15 mins)
SS3 Saint Pierreville - Col de la Fayolle 28.50 km 08:24
SS4 Burzet - Lachamp Raphael 16.30 km 10:02
SS5 St Martial - Le Chambon Beleac 12.66 km 10:48
Service C Valence (30 mins) 13.02
SS6 Saint Pierreville – Col de la Fayolle 28.50 km 14:48
SS7 Burzet – Lachamp Raphael 16.30 km 16:29
SS8 St Martial – Le Chambon Beleac 12.66 km 17:15
Flexi Service D Valence (45 mins) 20.50
Finish Valence 21.35
