Snow could still affect Monte

The Monte is always one of the more unpredictable events on the calendar due to ice and snow which makes setting up the cars a lottery for the teams and drivers, who have to run as many as three stages without a service stop during some points of the rally. Tyre choice in particular is complicated with teams being forced to gamble on either wets or studded slicks.

Snow fell overnight on Wednesday on several stages and while temperatures rose during Thursday morning melting most of that which covered the roads, the crews reported half kilometre patches of ice on at least 50 percent of the stages.

The weather forecast for the event indicates that temperatures will continue to rise, but on those stages set on the north side of the cols, any ice or snow is likely remain for the duration of the event.

"The recce has been very interesting," reported Ford's Roman Kresta. "It always makes it exciting when you have snow. It would be nice if some snow stays for the rally, but it seems quite unlikely with the forecast. On places like Turini we usually know where we are going to get it."