Gallant Renault R8 Wins 2019 Monte Historiqe
Worthy winners of the Monte Carlo Historique Rally are French crew Michel Badosa/Mogens Reidl in their Renault R8 and who'd featured in the top 10 for most of the rally, as did second place Italian crew Allesio De Angelis/Sergio Sisti in a front-wheel drive Fiat Ritmo 60 and, fellow Italians, Massimo Canella/Nicholas Arena in the 1.3 engine Lancia Fulvia Coupe in third.
Behind the first three, small engined saloons in a commendable fourth place was the ungainly 1959 wire-wheeled Jaguar XK 150 Coupe, expertly driven by Lithuanian Karolis Raisys, with Latvian co-driver Ilya Zakmans reading the maps and calculating the timing on the key regularity stages in the Alps Maritimes.
Best British crew is the Rover 2000 SC of Ranald White and Karsten Brown in 111th place, also winners of the venerable Tyresoles Trophy as best placed IRDC Crew. They were followed by the 1600 Porsche 356B of Jonathan and Christine Miles in 117th position and the Ford Escort RS 1600 of Xerxes Matten and Clifford Debond 134th.
The 22nd edition of the Monte Carlo Historiqe will be remembered for the extremely challenging and changing combination of road conditions - from dry fast tarmac to ice and falling snow - with some mountain mist and fog thrown in for good measure! Well done to all finishers and commiserations to those forced to retire. Here's to the 23rd glorious running of the Historique in January 2020.
7th February, 2019