Prince Albert II presented awards to the winners of the 11th Riviera Electric Challenge on Friday, as 20 crews completed the two day, 300 kilometre eco-driving competition across France, Italy and Monaco.
This sporting challenge is quite unusual. Victory doesn’t derive from speed but from precision, strategy and respect for the environment. The rally itself wasn’t typical either. Participants faced eco-driving tests where they had to cover a route revealed at the last moment while consuming minimal energy, optimising energy recovery during descent and braking. They also had to tackle regularity challenges and quizzes about the historic Grimaldi sites they passed through spanning from medieval castles to mountain villages linked to the Prince’s family history.
The Challenge’s results
The Association Paesi Bandiera Arancione crew, made up of Luana Mauro and Fiorella Manogo, claimed top honours in the overall classification and also took home the Ladies’ Cup.
Monaco’s municipal team, however ,brought particular pride to the Principality. François Lallemand, Fifth Deputy Mayor, and Jean-Luc Puyo, Municipal Councillor, won the eco-driving prize for the most environmentally respectful driving throughout the course. Mayor Georges Marsan praised them for “brilliantly defending Monaco’s colours” and the institution’s ecological and sporting values.
Eric Rini and Audrey Guillon from Nice Metropole finished second overall and won the regularity prize, demonstrating remarkable consistency across the demanding route. The Nice Chamber of Commerce team of Cédric Reynaud and Ines Stanojevic completed the podium in third place.
Lastly, the SMEG crew of Eric Fouage and Benoit Rabille won the quiz competition.
Since 2015, the Riviera Electric Challenge has been promoting a new generation of responsible mobility, showcasing that it is in fact possible to combine driving pleasure with reduced carbon footprint. The route wound through villages and towns linked to Grimaldi family history including Cagnes-sur-Mer, where Rainier I Grimaldi built a castle in 1309, and Dolceacqua, which was twinned with Monaco in November 2023.
When it comes to the Principality, Monaco has become a leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, with over 1,000 free charging points and neatly 20% of its vehicles fleet now electric by the end of 2024.
The rally departed from Cagnes-sur-Mer on October 9th, stopped overnight to Dolceacqua and arrived at the Palace Square on October 10th for the prize-giving ceremony.
See more in Kyriaki Topalidou’s video reel below…
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See also:
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Main photo credit: Monaco Life