History 1980s

1980 Rallye Monte-Carlo (Monaco)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1980 Rallye Monte-Carlo

Date: January 19–25, 1980

Host Country: Monaco

Surface: Asphalt / Snow

Total Distance: 695.30 km (competitive)

Total Starters: Approx. 210 crews

Total Finishers: 70 crews

The 1980 Rallye Monte-Carlo kicked off the new decade with its usual blend of elegance and chaos—snow, ice, and tarmac through the French Alps, all converging on the streets of Monte Carlo. Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdörfer dominated the event in their Fiat 131 Abarth, handling changing grip levels with surgical precision. Their victory signaled the beginning of Röhrl’s world championship-winning campaign and confirmed the 131 Abarth’s ongoing relevance in mixed-surface rallies.

Route

Col de Turini: Snow-covered hairpins with steep drop-offs—tires and bravery both tested.
Col de la Madone: Narrow, slick asphalt with patchy black ice and dense fog.
Monte Carlo Finale: Urban roads around the principality offering a ceremonial but tricky conclusion to the rally.

Crews departed from various European cities in traditional Monte Carlo fashion before converging in the Alps for the competitive stages, including legendary mountain passes like Col de Turini and Col de la Couillole.

Snow and ice dominated the higher altitudes, while tarmac stages at lower elevations remained dry or damp, demanding precise tire and setup choices throughout the rally.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Walter Röhrl & Christian Geistdörfer · Fiat 131 Abarth
2nd Place
Hannu Mikkola & Arne Hertz · Ford Escort RS1800
3rd Place
Jean-Pierre Nicolas & Vincent Laverne · Peugeot 504 Coupé V6

Röhrl’s calculated aggression and Geistdörfer’s flawless pacenotes were key to their consistent pace across all terrain—no stage win dominance, just relentless control.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Tire Choice Precision: The key to success—mixing slicks, studs, and intermediates depending on elevation and forecast.
  • Transition Mastery: Surface changes often occurred within a single stage—requiring adaptive cornering technique.
  • Weather Variability: Day-to-day shifts in snow coverage altered grip expectations and forced reactive strategy.

The 1980 Monte Carlo Rally was a technical and psychological gauntlet—Röhrl’s calm confidence and flawless execution set the tone for a championship-winning year.

← Previous Event —
Back to Events Index
1980 International Swedish Rally (Sweden) 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.