Opel Kadett GTE wins Monte Carlo Historique
After almost a week of intensive driving through a variety of challenging conditions, congratulations are due to the Belgian crew of Jose Lareppe and Lieven David on winning the 17th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique in their standard-looking Opel Kadett GTE. Norwegians Petter Granerud and Stein Roed were second in a Porsche 911SC and Frenchmen Jean-Michel Coll and Marc Dedieu 3rd in a 911 Carrera.
All eight of the IRDC entered crews finished, with Peter Humphrey and Graham Couser highest placed on the club podium in 89th place overall followed by Joel Wykeham's diminutive Fiat 127 in 122nd position and Glasgow starters Xeres Matten and James Aquilina's Datsun 240Z third IRDC placed crew in 153rd place.
IRDC secretary Tony Graham co-driving brother Steve's newly built Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF finished in 228th position, but not before their dexterous service crew had rebuilt their ailing transmission in a freezing municipal car park en route - a typical Monte Carlo Rally never-say-die story!
Competitors now have to remember where they packed their dinner suites in readiness for the glitzy Automobile Club de Monaco award ceremony and gala lunch held later today in the Salle des Etoiles of the Monte Carlo Sporting Club. Attended by the crème de la crème of Monaco motor sport society, those present at the function will doubtless spend time over Havana cigars and fine cognac ruminating about the 1964 rally winners Hopkirk and Liddon, driving a car that is now etched within the legend and folklore of the Monte Carlo Rally; the British built Mini Cooper S ... half-a-century ago!
International Rally Drivers Club Team Entries
No..Driver / Co-Driver..Car..Start..Overall finishing position
194. PeterHumphrey/Graham Couser - Volvo PV 544 - Reims. 89
299. Joel Wykeham/David Brown - Fiat 127 - Reims. 122
9. Xerxes Matten/James Aquilina - Datsun 240Z - Glasgow. 153
1. Andrew McAlpine/Fred Gallagher - Morris Cooper S - Barcelona. 166
276. Rick Pearson/Stuart Pringle - Lancia Fulvia 1300S - Glasgow. 173
55. Gorden Glen/David Glen - Volvo 122S - Glasgow. 220
78. Steve Graham/Tony Graham - Lancia Fulvia 1600 - Reims. 228
197. Simon Tate/Simon Brown - Lancia Fulvia 1600 - Stockholm. 238
29th January, 2014