Pirelli at the Monte Carlo Rally
Milan, January 16, 2000 - A new World Rally Championship begins! The first championship of the 21st century opens in traditional fashion with the Monte Carlo Rally, the most difficult and precise event of the season regarding problems of tyre choice. The basic road surface of asphalt would be quite easy to tackle in the summer but during the winter, with all its variable weather conditions from wet roads to thick snow and very low temperatures, makes this a uniquely difficult event to predict.
For Pirelli, Monte Carlo also marks a series of momentous sporting anniversaries from its past and results that wrote the motorsport history of the 'long P' in Pirelli's brand name. Significant among those high points is the 1995 Monte Carlo victory scored by the Subaru Impreza driven by Carlos Sainz. This splendid result came through an excellent performance by the Pirelli PZero range of tyres and it remains in our collective rally memory. Sainz (and his then team mate Colin McRae) scored many special stage wins thanks to Pirelli's 'thermal' compound tyres that allowed them to tackle snow and ice without the need for studs yet also to attain very high speeds on stages where the asphalt was 'clean'. This performance by Pirelli was repeated with Piero Liatti's spectacular victory, again for Subaru, two years later.
The technology and experience gained in those times has been perfected along with the technical expertise of the Subaru team that, last season, won more World Championship rallies than any other manufacturer in the competition. That's why Pirelli has very high hopes for success in this Monte Carlo Rally (January 20-22), hopes that are even higher considering the extensive technical and human resources of the other team supplied by Pirelli, SEAT, that recently strengthened its driver line-up by signing former World Champion Didier Auriol.
In total Pirelli will have a PZero range comprising around 2500 tyres, the fruit of a major effort in testing, evolution and production. The tyres are now explained by their name and performance characteristics...
PIRELLI TYRE OPTIONS FOR THE MONTE
Around 2500 tyres, the results of the latest evolution following a long winter test programme across Europe, and all equipped with the latest EMI anti-deflation system provide Pirelli's weapons for this year's Monte Carlo Rally.
FROM DRY TO MELTING SNOW...
RP (size 225/650-18)
Type: Asphalt tyre
Compound options: Level 5, 7 and 9 (from the hardest to the softest)
Description: Suitable for dry to damp roads and also black ice (the softer compounds)
RS (size 225/650-18)
Type: Asphalt tyre
Compound options: Level 7 and 9
Description: Ideal for use on dirty and slippery roads
RE (size 225/650-18)
Type: Intermediate tyre
Compound options: Level 7 and 9
Description: For damp to wet roads. The level 9 thermal compound can successfully operate in very low temperatures
N (size 225/650-18)
Type: Wet tyre
Compound options: 3 and 9
Description: For damp/wet roads and including melting snow. The level 9 compound is exclusively for the Monte Carlo Rally
NOTE: The higher the number on the tyre, the softer the compound
FROM A LITTLE SNOW TO A LOT...
WX (size 225/55-18)
Type: Mixed surface
Compound options: Base and ice, with and without studs
Description: For mixed surface stages but with mainly clear asphalt
WM (size 165/75-16)
Type: Mixed surface
Compound options: Base and ice, always with studs
Description: For mixed surface stages but where at least 50% of the stage is snow-covered
MAXIMUM SNOW...
S16 (size 135/90-16)
Type: Studded tyre for use in heavy snow
Compound options: Single compound with studs
Description: Very narrow tread pattern for maximum directional control and cornering performance
THE LEADING PIRELLI DRIVERS IN MONTE CARLO
2 Subaru Impreza WRC Burns-Reid and Kankkunen-Repo
2 SEAT Cordoba WRC Auriol-Giraudet and Gardemeister-Lukander
4 Mitsubishi Lancer (GpN) Trelles, Stohl, Galli and Maselli
Other Pirelli-equipped teams and drivers will also compete in Monte Carlo
OUR DRIVERS SAY THAT...
DIDIER AURIOL
"Because I am new to the SEAT team, my winter testing has been concentrated on the set-up of the car and the tyre work has only been for me to learn the many types of construction and compound that Pirelli has been developing. However, already I can see that we have a good range of tyres and I am confident that we can enjoy good results this year. I would prefer to have really difficult Monte Carlo Rally weather because it makes the rally a bit of a lottery for everyone and it will help my lack of experience!"
RICHARD BURNS
"The Monte Carlo Rally is 100% about getting the right choice of tyre for the ever-changing conditions. Pirelli has produced a huge range of tyres for the event - a lot of new compounds - and we've tested everything since the end of last season. You have to know what each tyre will do so that you can make the right choice. Monte Carlo is the hardest rally of the season for me so I'll be relying on the advice from the Pirelli technicians and Subaru's ice-note crews to make my choices and, if I get them right, then I'm confident we can get off to a great start this year".
TONI GARDEMEISTER
"Everything feels very good for SEAT and Pirelli after our winter testing, especially with our snow tyres. I'm quite confident that we have made a big improvement but of course you only find out how much on the first stage of Monte Carlo! Like Didier, I hope that the weather is changeable and we get mixed conditions. We've got plenty of good options to choose from this year".
JUHA KANKKUNEN
"Pirelli has been working incredibly hard to be ready for this season and I'm really pleased with the results, especially with the snow tyres. We've tried tyres for just about every condition and I'm feeling really confident. We've been able to find a lot more performance and we are a lot better prepared for this season than ever before. Monte Carlo, Sweden and Safari shouldn't give us any problems and I think we can have a good advantage right from the start".
Milan (Italy), 19 January 2000