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How to watch WRC's Monte Carlo Rally: schedule, line-up and more

This weekend’s Monte Carlo Rally kickstarts the 2024 WRC season where the title fight has been blown wide open following Kalle Rovanpera’s recent announcement.

The reigning, two-time world champion will partially contest the 2024 season to “recharge his batteries” ahead of a return to full-time competition in 2025.

Rovanpera’s absence leaves 2019 world champion Ott Tanak, his Hyundai team-mate and five-time runner-up Thierry Neuville and three-time runner-up Elfyn Evans as the favourites for the 2024 WRC crown.

Their championship fight will begin with the Monte Carlo Rally, which has returned to the south-eastern French town of Gap – it previously hosted the event from 2014-21 - while the principality undergoes infrastructure work. However, Monaco will still hold the ceremonial start and finish ahead of the official prize-giving ceremony.

The 2024 Monte Carlo Rally will also debut a new scoring system for WRC, as points are now on offer at the end of Saturday and Sunday to stop drivers from preserving tyres for the weekend closing Power Stage, which also offers bonus points.

So, here are the timings you need for the weekend and how to watch the season opening Monte Carlo Rally, which has a total competitive distance of 201 miles over snow and tarmac.

Toyota Yaris WRC Rally1 (Photo by: Toyota Racing)

When is the Monte Carlo Rally?

  • Date: 25-28 January
  • Start time: 3:52pm GMT/4:52pm local time on Thursday 25 January

The opening round of the 2024 WRC season, the Monte Carlo Rally, starts at 3:52pm in the United Kingdom and 4:52pm local time on Thursday 25 January. However, the first stage does not start until later in the day at 7:35pm in the UK and 8:35pm local time.

Before the opening stage of the Monte Carlo Rally is today's (24 January) shakedown at 3:31pm in the UK - 4:31pm local time – where drivers test various set-ups to fine-tune the car to its optimum state.

Date 

Leg 

Leg total 

Start time 

Wednesday 24 January 

Shakedown 

2.04 miles 

3:31pm GMT/4:31pm local time 

Thursday 25 January 

Ceremonial start 

N/A 

3:52pm GMT/4:52pm local time 

Thursday 25 January 

Stage 1 - Stage 2 

28.71 miles 

7:35pm GMT/8:35pm local time 

Friday 26 January 

Stage 3 - Stage 5 

32.85 miles 

7:51am GMT/8:51am local time 

Friday 26 January 

Stage 6 - Stage 8 

32.85 miles 

1:56pm GMT/2:56pm local time 

Saturday 27 January 

Stage 9 - Stage 11 

37.41 miles 

7:05am GMT/8:05am local time 

Saturday 27 January 

Stage 12 - Stage 14 

37.41 miles 

1:05pm GMT/2:05pm local time 

Sunday 28 January 

Stage 15 - Stage 16  

23.20 miles 

6:04am GMT/7:04am local time 

Sunday 28 January 

Stage 17 (Power Stage) 

9.20 miles 

11:15am GMT/12:15pm local time 

How can I watch the World Rally Championship?

TNT Sports (formerly known as BT Sport) will go into its 10th year of broadcasting the WRC in 2024.

This means a subscription is needed to watch WRC in the UK with TNT available from £18 a month for new customers which includes all four sports channels and Discovery+. Discovery+ is TNT’s live streaming platform, so the action can also be streamed via mobile and tablet devices or a console.

The series can also be watched via rally.tv, which live streams each round and more for the WRC, European Rally Championship and World Rallycross Championship. Rally.tv offers two deals to new customers: an annual pass for £199.99 or a monthly pass for £12.99.

Hyundai i20N WRC Rally1 (Photo by: Hyundai Motorsport)

How can I watch the Monte Carlo Rally?

TNT Sports will broadcast every stage of the Monte Carlo Rally where coverage starts with shakedown for UK viewers. It begins again on Thursday afternoon for the ceremonial start before returning that evening for the opening two stages.

Early starts commence the action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while TNT will take a break at lunchtime before returning to cover the afternoon stages on each day. A similar format will be used by Rally.TV, who will also broadcast every stage of the Monte Carlo Rally but not with one continuous live stream.

Date 

Leg 

Channel 

Coverage from  

Wednesday 24 January 

Shakedown 

TNT Sports Extra 1 

3:30pm GMT 

Thursday 25 January 

Ceremonial start 

TNT Sports Extra 1 

2:15pm GMT 

Thursday 25 January 

Stage 1 - Stage 2 

TNT Sports Extra 1/TNT Sports 1  

7pm GMT/7:30pm GMT 

Friday 26 January 

Stage 3 - Stage 5 

TNT Sports 4 

7:45am GMT 

Friday 26 January 

Stage 6 - Stage 8 

TNT Sports 2 

1:45pm GMT 

Saturday 27 January 

Stage 9 - Stage 11 

TNT Sports 4 

7am GMT 

Saturday 27 January 

Stage 12 - Stage 14 

TNT Sports 4 

1pm GMT 

Sunday 28 January 

Stage 15 - Stage 16 

TNT Sports Extra 1/TNT Sports 4 

5:30am GMT/6am GMT 

Sunday 28 January 

Stage 17 (Power Stage) 

TNT Sports 4 

11am GMT 

Date 

Leg 

Channel 

Coverage from 

Wednesday 24 January 

Shakedown 

Rally.tv 

3:30pm GMT 

Thursday 25 January 

Ceremonial start 

Rally.tv 

2:15pm GMT 

Thursday 25 January 

Stage 1 - Stage 2 

Rally.tv 

7:30pm GMT 

Friday 26 January 

Stage 3 - Stage 5 

Rally.tv 

7:45am GMT 

Friday 26 January 

Stage 6 - Stage 8 

Rally.tv 

1:45pm GMT 

Saturday 27 January 

Stage 9 - Stage 11 

Rally.tv 

7am GMT 

Saturday 27 January 

Stage 12 - Stage 14 

Rally.tv 

1pm GMT 

Sunday 28 January 

Stage 15 - Stage 16 

Rally.tv 

6am GMT 

Sunday 28 January 

Stage 17 (Power Stage) 

Rally.tv 

11am GMT 

Esapekka Lappi, Janne Ferm, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1 (Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool)

When can I watch the Monte Carlo Rally highlights?

Monte Carlo Rally highlights are available via Red Bull TV, who will broadcast a package at 9pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. TNT Sports will also air a 30-minute programme at differing times on those nights showing the day’s action, while ITV4 will show a one-hour package on Tuesday 30 January.

Elsewhere, daily highlights are available via Autosport while the official WRC YouTube channel also tends to upload a shorter highlights reel soon after the action has finished.

Date 

Channel 

Time 

Friday 26 January 

Red Bull TV 

9pm GMT 

Friday 26 January 

TNT Sports 1 

10pm GMT 

Saturday 27 January 

Red Bull TV 

9pm GMT 

Saturday 27 January 

TNT Sports 4 

10:30pm GMT 

Sunday 28 January 

Red Bull TV 

9pm GMT 

Sunday 28 January 

TNT Sports 3 

9:45pm GMT 

Tuesday 30 January

ITV4

8pm GMT

Rally1 entry list for Monte Carlo Rally

Team 

Driver 

Co-driver 

Louis Louka 

Alexandre Coria 

 

Hyundai 

Ott Tanak 

Thierry Neuville 

 

Toyota 

Sebastien Ogier 

Elfyn Evans 

Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 (Photo by: Toyota Racing)

What is the route for the Monte Carlo Rally?

The 2024 Monte Carlo Rally consists of 17 special stages covering a total competitive distance of 201 miles. Drivers first tackle two-night stages on Thursday beginning with Thoard (13.1 miles) before heading north to Bayons (15.7 miles).

WRC drivers then face an early start on Friday, where cars will tackle two identical loops of three stages in the morning and afternoon. It starts with 10.4 miles of Saint-Leger-les-Melezes - 40.2 miles north of Bayons - before heading northeast towards Champcella (11.1 miles) and then south to the mountains of La Breole (11.4 miles).

It’s another early start on Saturday, which follows a similar format with double runs of Esparron (11.7 miles), Les Nonieres (12.5 miles) and Pellafol (13.3 miles). Sunday’s finale starts at 7:04am local time with a return to La Breole before heading 40 miles south for the penultimate stage of Digne-les-Bains (11.8 miles).

Monte Carlo Rally’s Power Stage then takes place at the scenic La Bollène-Vésubie - 43 miles north of Monaco - where bonus points are on offer to the top five pairings.

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