IRDC fields 20 cars on Monte Historique
This year, the International Rally Drivers Club is fielding a record entry of 20 competitors on the Rally Monte Carlo Historique. Starting from Reims, Glasgow, Barcelona and Bad Homburg a variety of well-prepared historic saloon and sports cars are carrying the well-known IRDC badge - itself showing a strong connection with the Mediterranean principality.
The cars are arranged in a number of team conbinations that are striving, among strong international competition, to win one of the prestigeous team awards from the glitzy organising club - the Automobile Club De Monaco.
Among the crews is the 1972 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF #78, driven by Steve Graham and co-driven by his brother Tony; current secretary of the IRDC, whilst car #301 - a 1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT driver by William Ainscough, has 85 year-old Willy Cave as co-driver. Willy will need no introduction to rally fans and started his international co-driving career the same year that the Aurelia was produced - 1954 and was a successful member of the BMC works team in the 50s & 60s.
Last car on the entry list is a 1951 Austin Taxi #314, crewed by two enthusiastic Belgians, who set off from Glasgow on Wednesday; as they were permitted to do. With its modest performance, the Taxi is likely to be hard work getting across the Alps without loosing time but the crew hopes to improve on the results of the last Cab entered on the rally in 1961 but failed to make it to Monte Carlo. The 2015 rally was won by the Volkswagen Golf Gti of Piero Lorenzo Zanchi / Giovanni Agnese.
30th January, 2016