Maxrally
For every forward-thinking and practical individual, there is at least one unhinged lunatic out there. In Fiat's case, that madman was called Carlo Abarth. Originally, he was an Austrian called Karl, but in the aftermath of the second world war he decided that it might be more politically correct to Latinize his name and re-invent himself as a natural born Italian.
Francois Delecour had an exceptional treat in store for his co-driver Dominique Savignoni on Savignoni's very last rally.
The idea of Petter Solberg returning to the Ford camp and being welcomed back with open arms seemed pretty unlikely when he walked out of the team that had brought him into the World Rally Championship to join Subaru in mid-2000. But the Solberg/Ford reunion is working rather well, with a jubilant Norwegian storming to three fastest times in four stages today and carving into second-placed Dani Sordo's advantage.
Tyres are more important in Monte Carlo than on any other event in the World Rally Championship, owing to the huge variety of road and weather conditions encountered.
Taking on Sebastien Loeb in the same team isn't for the faint hearted, especially when you've also got just a few weeks before the season opener to acclimatise to Citroen life after six seasons in the Ford camp.
It may not appear obvious at first glance exactly what Princess Margaret of England, John Lennon, Peter Sellers and Rauno Aaltonen had in common – apart from a love of hard liquor. But when sufficiently sober to do so, all four of them were Mini drivers.
After its three-year dalliance with the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, (probably) the planet's most famous rally is back in the World Championship fold for 2012, as the WRC once again kicks off with Monte Carlo. We look at the burning topics heading into the 2012 opener.
On this homepage you may have seen a picture of Bjorn Waldegard staring glumly through the twisted remains of a Porsche windscreen. It was taken on the epic East African Safari Classic – an event the Swede went on to win – and now it's time to tell the remarkable story behind the picture
