Rally Monte-Carlo 2006: Kronos Racing - Preview
The Rally of Monte Carlo, the championship`s longest running event - almost three quarter of a century - usually kicks off the new season but also stands out as the event with news and changes. This year`s edition sticks to its reputation. It is not far from truth to say that the ‘Monte 2006` might write a new page of the rally history.
The Kronos Racing Belgian team participates in the event with three Xsara WRCs. Two of these will be entered under the colours of the Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team: one for two-times World Champions Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, and the other one for their Spanish team-mates Xavier Pons and Carlos Del Barrio.

Bearing number one and two on their doors, these Xsaras depend on a team registered in the ‘Manufacturers one` category, and comply with the 2006 technical definition. The most known measures of these new regulations are the prohibition of the electronic front and rear differentials and an increased restriction of the spare parts changes.

After dominating in 2002, and winning three times consecutively in Monaco, Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena cannot escape the fact they will play the role of favourites for another victory. No matter how confident they can be, they remain very cautious. Seb does not ignore that the changes in the other teams` line-up - and how they will adapt to the new regulations - raise many questions. In any case, some of the answers will be given by the first stage times.

Daniel Elena has carefully studied the rally route. The Monaco-born co-driver underlines its difficulty: “With ‘classical` weather conditions, the snow can only be found at the highest points: in the ‘Couillole` pass and in the Turini. However, frost and patches of ice are guaranteed almost everywhere. The tyre choice for some groups of stages will be extremely tricky and decisive. In one word, I think it will be a very difficult event...”

And also a huge job for the safety crews in charge of adding the traps in the pacenotes “when the grip changes as much as from Catalunya to Sweden...” For his third participation in the rally, Xavier Pons aims to reach the finish, unlike in the previous years. He will benefit from his team-mate`s experience, especially regarding the tyre choice.

Daniel Sordo - and his co-driver Marc Marti - begins behind the wheel of a World Rally Car in an event he discovered last year with a C2 Super 1600. Thanks to some Spanish supports, the reigning Junior World Champion has entered the third Xsara-Kronos under his own name. This private entry allows him to drive a car following the 2005 technical regulations with which the front and rear electronic differentials can be used.

A victory in Monte Carlo more than everywhere else, always rewards the whole team and is the result of what Colin McRae always called a “big team effort”. A good analyse of the weather forecasts, focused safety crews, and judicious tyre choices would definitely pay off.

At the time of the season`s kick off, Marc Van Dalen agrees with that: “Straight away, this rally will set up very high standards for Kronos. We will give our maximum to succeed..."


Tags: monaco, monte-carlo, start, debut, citroen, xsara, kronos, loeb, pons,