14th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique 26 January - 2 February 2011 Results.  Click to view the image galleries.

Seventy-nine of the 328 eight cars that started the 14th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique 2011 failed to make the finish in Monaco which just shows how-tough-a-seven-days this has been. Good news is the lovely red and white Mini Cooper S crewed by Peter Barker and Willy Cave, possibly the oldest navigator in the world, aged 84, finished a fine 21st overall, making them the first Brits home. They also beat Erik Comas, Bruno Saby, Rauno Aaltonen and Jean Ragnotti, no mean achievement.

There was a wide variety of cars in the top ten that followed winners Mario Sala and Maurizio Torlasco across the line in their Porsche 911. They included an Innocenti Mini Cooper, Mercedes Benz 300SE, Ford Fiesta, Opel Kadett GTE, Toyota Celica 1600GT, Peugeot 104ZS and Lancia Fulvia 1600HF. A crowd favourite, the enormous Ford Falcon Sprint finished in 78th position while the distinctive Andrzej Postawka and Stanislaw Postawka Polski Fiat 125P led its team mates home just outside the top fifty. Alistair Vines who, after servicing for Peter Barker for the last ten years, entered the event in his own Mini Cooper S and made up some forty places to finish 64th after a final night full of inspired (should that read manic) driving. He sounded well chuffed about that.

John Risa and Leif Brennhovd had lots of fun in their small Austin A40 with the Union Jack-painted roof on their way to 23rd position while we think Heidi Winterbourne and Nicola Bannister in their recently acquired MG Midget might be returning home with the Coupe de Dames award. Nice result for the girls.
















Further down the field the fairly modern Aime Reynouard/Dominique Lancia Beta Coupe 1800 beat the similar Lancia Monte Carlo of Bernard Triaire/Jean-Marc Arnaudies by just one place but both had to give way to the much older Thanos Michaelides/Marios Peleties Lancia Aurelia B20 GT that finished three places ahead of them both.

Friends of Retro-Speed, Stephen and Tony Graham struggled throughout the rally but still finished, albeit in 239th place. But they were not last as that dubious honour fell to the BMW 2002 TII of Jean-Pierre Philibert and Joel Picoreau. But it’s okay, because on a rally as difficult as this, just crossing the line, even if everyone else has retired to the bar, sometimes produces the same amount of emotion and elation as winning.

As I write this some seven hundred people dressed up in all their finery will be down at the Sporting Club Prize Giving tucking into a good meal and washing it down with champagne and lots of fine wine. Hey guys, save some for me.

For full Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique results go to:  www.acm.mc