ON WITH THE RALLY

THE REGULATIONS OF THE MONTE CARLO CLASSIC, WHICH CONTINUES FOR 1935 WITH ALTERED ROUTES AND A NEW BASIS OF DECIDING THE FINAL ORDER. DIE-HARDS of the Monte Carlo Rally will regret the passing of the Athens route from its highmarked exclusiveness, the principal alteration-of the Regulations for the forthcoming Rally, but the organisers conld not fail to take account of the run-away success of the competitors from that point, who in 1934 captured the first 15 plates. A drastic change of policy has therefore been decided upon, and there are now six starting points from which the competitors can gain the maximum of 1,000 marks, while several of the intermediate

five hours early will be excluded from further taking part in the Rally. The cars are divided into two classes, one for ears up to 1,500 c.c., and the other for cars over this figure. The ” Figure-of-Eight” competition which last year replaced the Mont dos Mules Hill-Climb was found a simple and Satisfactory test of ease of handling and other qualities which make for effortless touring, and has been retained in a modified form, but instead of being a competition on its own it Will be used, in conjunction with an East Starting Test,

towns on these mutes have been allotted markings which make them still worth while if weather prevents the furthest point on the itinerary from being reached. A last-minute change of departure, of course, involves a less of 10 marks.

Starting point. Athens Bucharest Palermo Stavanger Tallinn Unaea

Messina and Reggio …

Riga „. Sundsvall … John o’ Groats Jassy Distance from

Monte Carlo. Marks.

Kilometres. 3,786 1,000 3,772 1,000 4,072 1,000 3,700 1,000 3,972 1,000 3,784 1,000 3,812 996 3,53« 990 3,476 989 :3,382 987 3,360 987

The itineraries from Athens and Bucharest remain as they were last year, but the Palermo route has been radically altered, giving it a severity comparable to the others which are rated at 1,000 marks. From Padova it turns East to Ljubljana, in Jugoslavia, instead of taking the direct route to Monte Carlo, via Milan, and competitors are then taken North to Vienna, where they join the Athens route.. This section is liable to be blocked with snow in severe weather, and in conjunction with the roads from Vienna to Strasbourg makes the Italian starting point more strenuous than. it appears at first sight. The ether major alteration is in the Tallinn route, which turns South from Riga to Kaunas, the capital of Lithuania, instead of cutting direct across country to Koenigsberg. This route is little used in winter, and unless it is specially kept open for the Tallinn competitors, may well prove their downfall. The minimum average speed remains as last year, 40 km. over the first part of the journey and SO km. over the last 1,000 km., while a new control has been set up at Brignoles, between Avignon and Monte Carlo. Cars arriving late at any of the controls will be penalised, • 2 marks per minute, not 1 mark, as was the case last year ; while on the other hand, any car arriving at a control more than

to decide the actual final order of competitors. When the cars arrive in Monte Carlo, therefore, after being examined for defective hoods, mudguards and lighting, they will be taken immediately to the Official Park, and will remain there with their bonnets sealed until the next morning, while the Rallyists retire to their hotels for some hard-earned sleep. Returning to their cars next day, each driver, in turn, will be staiiened 10 feet from his car, and on a given signal will be required to run to it, start it, and drive to a line 49 feet away, and will gain five marks if he does it in 30 seconds, and proportionately less, with a limiting period of two minutes, Then comes the

figure-of-eight test, which, as will be seen from the diagram, resembles the one used last year, but is rather more difficult. Instead of starting in a position pointing towards the “maze,” the cars have to be driven up to it from 200 metres away, and manceuyred to a favourable position by reversing, while the size of the rectangle has been reduced from 38 feet by 17 metres to 36 metres by 16, an alteration which may make all the difference in the case of a car with a long wheel-base. A notable improvement is that cars no longer have to be reversed back over the finishing line. 100 marks is given to each competitor, and from these are subtracted marks at the rate of -5 per second and -05 per 1/10 second, the number of points left being added to those already obtained on the road section of the Rally.

The prize list remains as last year, with 50,000 francs, (now about £670) for the winner, and 20,000 francs and 15,000 francs for those classified second and third. The entrance fee is 750 francs for large cars and 600 francs for those in Class I, and entries are accepted from 1st November to 24th December. An interesting innovation is that on payment of an extra 150 francs a competitor has the option of two alternative starting points, and may nominate the one from which he proposes to start not later than January 14th.

Competitors leave most of the foreign starting points on the morning of January 19th, while those from John o’ Groats set off about 16 hours later.

The English edition of the Regulations is now available, and may be obtained from the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London, S.W. 1.