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Monte Carlo Rally start likely to return to Monaco after complaints

Next year's Monte Carlo Rally is likely to start at Monaco's Casino Square following complaints about the principality's absence from the early part of the 2019 World Rally Championship opener.

Last weekend's event began with a ceremonial start in Gap instead of Monaco's prestigious Casino Square, which had previously hosted the start since 2015.

That meant the event had no interaction with Monte Carlo until the cars arrived in Monaco late on Saturday night.

 
The cars then headed into the mountains nearby before dawn the following morning and returned for a harbourside finish on Sunday afternoon.

There was no service park in Monaco and the teams based themselves in hotels for the 15 hours they were there officially.

Four-time Monte Carlo Rally winner Tommi Makinen said: "When I was competing we were always based in Monte Carlo.

"There was always a really fantastic atmosphere around the place and you knew you were in Monte Carlo Rally - now we don't know that at all.

"We start this rally from the middle of France. We need to put Monte Carlo back into the Monte Carlo [Rally]. We need to make this event more of a challenge again.

"Why not start from Monte and then come out on a long loop with six different stages split by a remote service one day and the same again the next?"

WRC Promoter Oliver Ciesla said he was open to returning the ceremonial start to Monaco and would be working closely with the Automobile Club de Monaco on the 2020 event's route.

"We did this [Casino Square ceremonial start] in the last four or five years," he said.

"And we exploited it very impressively, but then the interest declined. This year we had a break with that routine and this had the impact that people are asking for it [back] now.

"Let's discuss this with the ACM and let's go back for next year and make it big again. We can have it again.

"It's important to have the picture [of the teams and crews outside the Casino], but it's also good for the teams and sponsors to invite guests to the first rally of the season.

"Monte Carlo is a premium destination for hospitality opportunities."

Zdroj: autosport.com