Monte Carlo Rally Auto Racing / Motorsports / Sports Every year in January

The Monte Carlo Rally is a road rally race that takes place every year in Europe and ends in and around Monte Carlo, Monaco. There is no set Monte Carlo Rally course, as the routes change each year.

Initially started in 1911, the Monte Carlo Rally featured racers from four different, equidistant, parts of Europe who would race and meet up in Monaco. Today, it serves as the opening event for the FIA World Rally Championship.

What makes the rally unique is that anyone with a valid international license is eligible to compete, so the race is filled with both amateurs and professional drivers. However, the Rally is limited to 100 cars that are broken into three different priority groups and the Monte Carlo Rally registration fees are €1,000.

The Monte Carlo Rally routes change from year to year, and the varying terrain from ice and snow to mud and water make the challenges especially difficult. One constant, however, is the finish where after driving 400+ kilometers through the South of France, racers end their journeys at the Place du Palais in Monaco. Once the awards ceremonies are finished, racers of every nationality meet up at the bars and clubs in Monaco for all-night post-race festivities.

Past Monte Carlo Rally winners include teams from Finland, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, and others.