Wednesday 21st January will see over 60 crews taking part in the Rallye Monte Carlo's 77th edition. Amongst them we will find the usual players of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, as the classic event is not only included on the IRC calendar for the first time, but will also launch the 2009 season.

A new confrontation is expected between constructors Peugeot and Abarth, with Skoda joining the competition and inaugurating its new Fabia Super 2000 on this event.

In the Peugeot camp, Kronos Racing will front four 207 S2000s. Two will bear Team Peugeot Belgium-Luxemburg colours with reigning champion Nicolas Vouilloz aboard one, Freddy Loix aboard the other. Kris Meeke will be driving the Peugeot UK entry, and the final Kronos-prepared car has been granted to Sébastien Ogier as the invited driver for the BFGoodrich Drivers Team programme.

Team Peugeot Total will also appear with a Peugeot 207 Super 2000 with Stéphane Sarrazin at the wheel. Slovene driver Andrej Jereb and Italian contender Giacomo Ogliari will participate in the rally, as will former WRC champion Didier Auriol.

Giandomenico Basso returns as the spearhead of the Abarth team. The Italian outfit has also signed European champion Luca Rossetti and the young Anton Alen.

Astra Racing has prepared a Grande Punto for the experienced Toni Gardemeister, while Olivier Burri – another Monte Carlo veteran – will also race at the controls of an Abarth.

The Monte Carlo event will see the return of Czech manufacturer Skoda on the rally scene, with a pair of Fabia S2000s handled by Juho Hanninen and Jan Kopecky.

Rallye Monte Carlo – the entry list

1  VOUILLOZ Nicolas-KLINGER Nicolas    Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
2  BASSO Giandomenico-DOTTA Mitia      Abarth Punto S2000 N4
3  HANNINEN Juho-MARKKULA Mikko        Skoda Fabia S2000  N4
4  LOIX Freddy-SMETS Isidoor           Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
5  ROSSETTI Luca-CHIARCOSSI Matteo     Abarth Punto S2000 N4
6  KOPECKY Jan-STARY Petr              Skoda Fabia S2000  N4
7  SARRAZIN Stéphane-RENUCCI J-Julien  Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
8  AURIOL Didier-GIRAUDET Denis        Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
9  OGIER Sébastien-INGRASSIA Julien    Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
10 GARDEMEISTER Toni-TUOMINEN Tomi     Abarth Punto S2000 N4
11 ALEN Anton-ALANNE Timo              Abarth Punto S2000 N4
12 MEEKE Kris-NAGLE Paul               Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
14 SOLA Dani- (forfeit)
15 BURRI Olivier-GORDON Fabrice        Abarth Punto S2000 N4
16 CAVALLINI Tobia-ZANELLA Flavio      Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
17 PRIVE Thomas- (forfeit)
18 FRAU Richard-LE GARS Serge          Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
19 PROH Alessandro-DELL'AGOSTINO A.    Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
20 ARTRU Patrick-VIRIEUX               Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
21 ROMEYER Frédéric (forfeit)
22 KNAPICK Hervé-MORA David            Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
23 WITTMANN Franz-ETTEL Bernhard       Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
24 AYMARD Jérôme-AYMARD Sandrine       Subaru Impreza     N4
25 BAUDOUIN Miguel-GASTINEL J-François Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
26 MAURIN Julien-THIMONIER Gilles      Abarth Punto S2000 N4
27 JEREB Andrej-KACIN Miran            Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
28 PIERRAT Bertrand-GALMICHE Isabelle  Subaru Impreza     N4
29 BOS Pierre-LEUVREY Jean-Claude      Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
30 GONON Florian-ARLETTAZ Sandra       Subaru Impreza     N4
31 LISKA Milan-JUGAS Jaroslav          Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
32 ROMANO Gianni-X                     Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
33 OGLIARI Giacomo-VERDELLI Marco      Peugeot 207 S2000  N4
34 NICOLAS Laurent-MALLET Patrice      Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
35 PALMERO Jean-Paul-X                 Mitsubishi Lancer  N4
36 DAUMAS Damien-JAUSSAUD Christophe   Renault Clio       A7
37 ARZENO Mathieu-MANCINI Patrice      Renault Clio       A7
38 BETTI Luca-AGNESE Giovanni          Renault Clio       A7
39 CORBI David-FELLAY Stéphane         Renault Clio       A7
40 CAVIGIOLI Marco-CANTONI Enrico      Fiat Punto JTD     A7
41 SALA Andrea-SALA Marco              Renault Clio       A7
42 VILLA Manuel-CANOVA Angelo          Fiat Punto         A6
43 POUTOT Renaud-VIRAGH Ludovic        Citroën C2-R2      A6
44 SCHELLE Nikolaus-WENZEL Michael     Suzuki Ignis       A6
45 GELLUSSEAU Luc-DE JOUX Charles      Peugeot 206 XS     A6
46 RAVIGLIONE Paolo-CAVAGNETTO Mauro   Renault C2-R2      A6
47 MARENCO Claudio-PIERI Luca          Renault Clio       A6
48 CLUZEL Ludovic-DELMONICO Teddy      Citroën C2-R2      A6
49 FONTAINE Christophe-COLAS Yvon      Peugeot 206 XS     A6
50 FABIANI Lorenzo-QUATTROCCHIO Dan.   Renault Clio       A6
51 CORNU Stéphane-LECLERC Bertrand     Citroën C2-R2      A6
52 TANCI Pierre-MARTINI Eric           Citroën C2-R2      A6
53 VIALLE Lilian-ROISSAC Patrice       Renault Clio       N3
54 RADA Martin-PETR Roman              Alfa Romeo 147     N3
55 MOTTARD Guy-GIRAUDO Michel          Peugeot 206 RC     N3
56 CAMBON Daniel-X                     Renault Clio       N3
57 MONTI Luca-BARBIERI Daniele         Suzuki Swift       N2
58 MASSE Jean-Marc-MAQUET Joël         Suzuki Swift       N2
59 "VIOM"-TRIMIGNO Michele             Suzuki Swift       N2
60 BERGO Omar-RAPPOLDI Alessandro      Suzuki Swift       N2
61 LONGECHAL Robin-LABATUT Julien      Suzuki Swift       N2
62 PINI Milko-PELLEGRINI Daniele       Suzuki Swift       N2
63 SCHMITT Jérôme-ANTOINE Christophe   Suzuki Swift       N2
64 POLONIA Vanessa-FLOREAN Emanuela    Suzuki Swift       N2
65 SORDI Roberto-FERRACIN Silvy        Suzuki Swift       N2
66 WEST Nick-MELLING Chris             Volkswagen Polo    N1