Motoring
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6003300209 |
| Author | J. A. H. Gott |
| Published date | 01 April 1960 |
| Date | 01 April 1960 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
J.
A.
H.
GOTT,
M.B.E.,
G.M.
Chief Constable of Northamptonshire
Our Motoring Correspondent writes about the Monte Carlo
Rally (in which a Metropolitan Police team competed), comments
on a new type of Driving School and gives his impression of the
latest in a long line of police cars, the Wolseley 6/99.
MOTORING
TI-lE
'MONTE'
THE GROWTH OF PUBLIC INTEREST in motor sport since the Hitler
war is quite fantastic and the Monte Carlo Rally probably arouses
more interest than any other motoring event. This is surprising as
it is neither the most difficult nor the best organised rally, but it is
the oldest and certainly the most publicised. Despite all this, far too
few people really appreciate how the rally works and what are the
factors which lead to success.
The main concept of the rally has been unchanged for many years;
routes from most European countries filter into a short common
route from the Massif Central of France to Monaco. This is known
as the "road section" and the best-placed competitors go forward to
a final classification test. Until a few years ago this was a high-
speed manoeuvring test round pylons (for which reason it was
known as a "pylon dice") but it seemed quite absurd to decide a
2,500-miledrive by the showing on a test lasting under two minutes.
In latter years the final test has therefore consisted of one or more
laps of a mountain circuit in the Alpes Maritimes behind Monte
Carlo.
The maximum number of competitors is 345and each country is
given a national quota, which is invariably over-subscribed, so that
only the best drivers are selected from each country. This year crews
from 20 countries started from Athens, Oslo, Warsaw, Lisbon,
Glasgow, Paris, Frankfurt, The Hague or Rome. The set average
speed was 60 k.p.h./37!- m.p.h. which made no allowance for stops
for meals, refuelling, repairs, etc. To ensure that this average was
maintained, the cars had to pass through control points where they
were penalised for being late or early at the rate of 10 marks per
minute. The best ninety crews ran on the Mountain circuit where
penalty marks were at the rate of 1 mark per second. On the circuit
marks could be doubly lost, for each lap of 175 miles had to be
quite regular as well as on time. Reduced to times on the road, crews
were driving from their starting-points to Monte Carlo from the
126
April-June
1960
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