Every year in the middle of January, 800 seemingly normal persons enter 400 cars to drive more than 3.000 kilometers on Europe’s worst winter roads towards the riviera and it’s palms and sunshine. For the 3 days and nights the race lasts neither of them get much sleep and very little food. They risk their health and cars, in snowstorms and fog and often on dangerous mountain roads. Still it’s all they talk about the rest of the year.
All you have to do is drive in an average speed of no less than 50 km/h and no more than 65 km/h from Oslo, Stockholm, Glasgow, Palermo, Munic, Lisboa or Athen to Monte Carlo. In the end there might be cups, and money prices a plenty. The first price is 100.000 france. But it isn’t easy. Not only do you need a reliable car, but you need a good lot of luck as well.
As the 24th. Rally Monte Carlo started, "Billed Bladet’s" reporter, Paul Raae, entered Peter Skarrings Simca Aronde in Oslo to see what it was all about. The car had been trimmed to top performance by the famous Italian driver, Ernesto Campeotto, living in Denmark at the time and had special tires for rough and icy roads mounted.
Thursday 13:45
The hardest stretch The Col Des Lecques pass, No 314 here at 52 km/h. The last 264 kilometers of the race the drivers decide their own avarage speed but it has to be held to the second.
From the Danish magazine "Billed Bladet" – No 6 – February 9th, 1954
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