History 1970s

1978 Rallye Monte-Carlo (Monaco/France)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 46ème Rallye Monte-Carlo

Date: January 21–28, 1978

Host Countries: Monaco / France

Surface: Tarmac / Snow

Total Distance: ~3,300 km

Total Starters: 225 crews

Total Finishers: 78 crews

The 1978 Monte Carlo Rally opened the season with classic winter drama, featuring unpredictable weather, snow-covered passes, and a fierce battle between factory teams and privateer challengers. In a stunning upset, French driver Jean-Pierre Nicolas and co-driver Vincent Laverne powered their Porsche 911 Carrera to victory, navigating the icy alpine roads with unmatched precision and proving that experience and tire strategy could still triumph over raw factory power.

Route

Col de Turini: Iconic stage run at night, with icy hairpins, narrow ledges, and massive crowds lining the route.
Col de Braus and Col Saint-Roch: Fast downhill descents and mixed patches of dry tarmac and black ice.
Montélimar–Gap Region: A mixture of altitude stages with sudden snow zones and rapidly changing surface grip.

The rally began with concentration runs from across Europe before converging on Monaco. It then headed into the snow-draped mountain passes of the French Alps for the special stages.

Variable weather and changing snow conditions made tire choice critical—teams often gambled between slicks, intermediates, or studs depending on evolving stage reports.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Jean-Pierre Nicolas & Vincent Laverne · Porsche 911 Carrera
2nd Place
Jean Ragnotti & Jean-Marc Andrié · Renault 5 Alpine
3rd Place
Hannu Mikkola & Arne Hertz · Ford Escort RS1800

Nicolas’s calm, calculated drive and Laverne’s precise notes brought Porsche a legendary win—made even more remarkable as it was achieved without full factory support in one of rallying’s most technical events.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Changing Conditions: Day-night transitions and fast-moving storms led to black ice and blind corners mid-stage.
  • Tire Strategy: Success often depended on last-minute tire swaps based on ice scout reports from other teams.
  • Concentration Runs: Early route variations from multiple cities tested endurance and vehicle preparation before timed stages began.

The 1978 Rallye Monte-Carlo became an instant classic—Nicolas’s upset victory in the Porsche added to the legend of Monte’s unpredictability and cemented his place in rallying folklore.

← Previous Event 1977 Lombard RAC Rally (United Kingdom)
Back to Events Index
1978 Arctic Rally (Finland) Next Event →

Watch rallies anywhere — bypass region blocks with NordVPN.

Fast servers for HD streams Servers in 60+ countries 30-day money-back

Unblock coverage — Save up to 77% + 3 months free

Sponsored link. Using our partner links helps support Compromised Internals at no extra cost to you.