The town of Paisley has once again been confirmed as the sole UK starting point for the 2017 historic rally run to Monte Carlo, as a range of historic cars set off on the 1300-mile trip to the South of France. This will be the fourth time the town — which is bidding to be the 2021 UK City of Culture — will be the only British starting point of the seven European cities selected for the honor.
Close to 100 cars are expected to leave the start ramp outside Paisley Abbey at 6 p.m., on Wednesday January 25, classified in three separate categories. The Historique class is being run for the 20th year, and is restricted to car models that competed in the Monte Carlo Rallies between 1955 and 1980. It will run over eight days on open public roads with the cars and crews undertaking a series of 14 demanding test stages in the mountains of southern France.
The Classique event is for older cars from as early as 1911 all the way to 1980, and while it follows the same route to Monte Carlo, it does not include any test stages, the goal simply being to finish in Monte Carlo after checking in at a series of control points on the way.
Once again the event will also feature the popular Monte Heritage Runs that will follow on from the full-scale events and take in a series of short classic routes in Scotland.
More than 10,000 onlookers gathered in the centre of Paisley for the last event, as the crews were sent off from the Abbey in a party atmosphere with lights, music, street food and fireworks. Working with the Renfrewshire Council and volunteers from many motorsport clubs in Scotland, the organisers are confident of making the start even bigger and better in 2017.
“The Paisley Abbey Start will flash round the world on the evening of 25th January 2017,” said Douglas Anderson, the event’s UK co-ordinator and the man responsible for bringing the Monte back to Scotland in 2011. “It is universally acknowledged as the best start in Europe, and with the help of the good folk of Paisley who come out in their thousands to cheer the competitors on their way, we will keep it that way.”
For more information please visit www.monte.scot
