History 2000s

2004 Rallye Monte-Carlo (Monaco)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2004 Rallye Monte-Carlo (Monaco)

Date: January 23–25, 2004

Start Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Finish Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Total Distance: ~1,200 km (estimated full route)

Competitive Stages: 389.06 km

Surface: Asphalt/Snow/Ice

The 2004 season began in dramatic fashion with the iconic Rallye Monte-Carlo. Narrow mountain passes, alternating snow, ice, and dry tarmac made tire choice and rhythm crucial. Sébastien Loeb showed his Monte expertise with a calm, calculated victory that set the tone for a dominant year.

Route

Burzet–Lachamp Raphaël: Long and complex — started on dry asphalt, climbed into snow, and finished with slick corners on ice.
St. Pierreville–Antraigues: Famous for its ever-changing grip — demanded fast adjustment and tight pacenote delivery.
Sospel–La Bollène: Home to the legendary Col de Turini — night driving through fog and ice made it one of the most iconic tests in rallying.

The rally wound through the French Alps above Monaco, mixing high-speed descents and icy switchbacks. Key stages included:

Drivers had to adapt to dry tarmac, slush, and compacted snow in a single stage, making tire strategy and co-driver timing absolutely critical.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Sébastien Loeb & Daniel Elena · Citroën Xsara WRC
2nd Place
Markko Märtin & Michael Park · Ford Focus RS WRC
3rd Place
François Duval & Stéphane Prévot · Ford Focus RS WRC

Loeb built a lead early and never looked back. His calm approach and flawless tire choices gave him an edge over the chasing Fords of Märtin and Duval, who drove strong but couldn’t match his pace in changing conditions.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Mixed Conditions: Drivers faced dry tarmac, melting snow, and black ice in the same stage — requiring flawless pacenote timing.
  • Tire Choices: With limited data and unpredictable weather, teams had to gamble between slicks, intermediates, and studs.
  • Turini Night Stage: The famed mountain pass demanded peak concentration — Loeb’s composed pace gave him the upper hand.

Sébastien Loeb’s 2004 Monte-Carlo win solidified his status as a master of precision rallying and laid the foundation for what would become a record-breaking season.

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