Compromised Internals

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 2010 Rallye Automobile Monte‑Carlo (78th running)

Date: January 19–23, 2010

Start/Finish Location: Valence → Monaco

Total Distance: 396.18 km of special stages (asphalt & snow/ice)

Participating Teams: 63 starters, 36 finishers

Classic Monte conditions—night stages, black ice, and tire gambles—favored consistency. Hirvonen’s Fiesta S2000 delivered a landmark win over the factory Škodas after a disciplined tire strategy across the Cols.

Route

Ardèche & Drôme: Fast, flowing tarmac with surprise ice patches.

Alpine Cols: Mixed grip demanding asymmetric tire choices and precise pacenotes.

Harbor Finish: Finale into Monaco under floodlights.

Iconic mountain tests above the Riviera with treacherous microclimates.

Tyre compound/cut choices swung minutes as weather flipped between loops.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner

Mikko Hirvonen & Jarmo Lehtinen · Ford Fiesta S2000

2nd Place

Juho Hänninen & Mikko Markkula · Škoda Fabia S2000

3rd Place

Nicolas Vouilloz & Benjamin Veillas · Škoda Fabia S2000

A milestone for the Fiesta S2000 platform, beating the Škoda armada on Monte’s ice‑edged asphalt.

Navigation & Challenges

Black Ice: Co‑drivers flagged shadowed zones; precision braking points were critical.
Weather Swings: Rapid microclimate changes forced flexible tire calls.
Night Stages: Visibility and anti‑cut discipline preserved sidewalls and rims.

Monte rewarded meticulous tire notes and conservative aggression in 2010.

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