Prince Albert II of Monaco joined rally pilots, motorsport teams and fans on Saturday, as the World Rally Championship presented its 2026 campaign at Port Hercule.
The Prince witnessed the spectacular season launch as all five competing manufacturers displayed their cars to crowds gathered at the site, while drivers spoke about their preparations for the demanding Rally Monte Carlo ahead.
The presentation came just days before Monaco hosts the opening round of the championship, with the 94th Rally Monte-Carlo set to start on Thursday January 22nd.
Following the launch, Prince Albert was also presented with a rally helmet by Automobile Club of Monaco president Michel Boeri and WRC promoter director Jona Siebel.
Ogier targets another victory
Nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier arrives as the man to beat, having claimed victory on these roads last January alongside co-driver Vincent Landais. The French driver for Toyota, with the number one on his car, is chasing what would be his 11th Monte Carlo win.
“It’s a rally that still makes me dream, and we’ll do everything to try to continue this beautiful run,” Ogier said at the launch.
His main challengers include Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who has won here twice before in 2020 and 2024, and Adrien Fourmaux, who impressed with third place in his first Monte-Carlo rally with Hyundai last year.
“I’m capable of fighting at the front,” Fourmaux said. “Last season’s rally gave me a lot of confidence, and I know my team much better now.”
Lancia returns after three decades
However, the talk of the show was Lancia’s comeback to international rallying. The Italian brand, absent from the world championship since 1993, will compete in the WRC2 support category with two cars.
Defending WRC2 champion Yohan Rossel will lead Lancia’s return, describing the opportunity to drive for the manufacturer as a dream come true.
“It would be a pleasure to win a fourth time with a legendary brand like Lancia,” said Rossel, who will pilot the number 21 car.
This year’s championship consists of 14 stages and marks the final season for the current Rally1 cars, which have been used since 2022. A new set of technical regulations will come into force in 2027 and remain in place for the following decade.
The rally gets underway on Thursday with 66 crews taking to the harsh mountain stages that have defined the event since 1911
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Main photo by Monaco Life