The Monza Rally Show is back with a bang for 2024, and the line-up for this year’s event promises nothing short of electrifying rally action. Set to take place at the iconic Autodromo Nazionale Monza from December 6-8, this year’s edition boasts a roster of champions that would make any motorsport fan’s heart race.
Leading the charge are Finland’s Sami Pajari, New Zealand’s Hayden Paddon, and Italy’s very own Andrea Crugnola. Pajari, a WRC2 world champion, will pilot a Toyota Yaris GR, while Paddon, the first non-European to clinch the European Rally Championship title in 2023, will be behind the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Crugnola, fresh off his fourth Italian overall rally title, adds Italian flair to the mix with a Citroën C3 Rally2.
But that’s just the beginning. Fans can look forward to seeing Nikolay Gryazin in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2—fresh off his WRC2 World Championship podium finish after a victory in Japan. Joining him are Bostjan Avbelj, a Slovenian driver racing under an Italian license and the 2023 Promotion Tricolor Series champion, and Alberto Dall’Era, in a Volkswagen Polo.
Adding a touch of nostalgia and familial charm, the legendary 76-year-old Luigi Fontana will co-drive for his grandson Matteo Fontana, piloting a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. If that doesn’t warm your motorsport-loving heart, what will?
Rachele Somaschini, winner of the 2024 European Rally Tour and a passionate ambassador for the Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation, will showcase her talent in a Citroën C3. Meanwhile, veteran rally driver Alessandro Perico will take on Monza in a Škoda Fabia RS.
The Monza Rally Show also celebrates versatility, with legends from other sports swapping their usual gear for a racing seat. Cycling icon Vincenzo Nibali, one of only seven cyclists to win all three Grand Tours—the Vuelta (2010), Giro d’Italia (2013, 2016), and Tour de France (2014)—is taking on the challenge in a Toyota Yaris GR R1 T4x4.
Racing dynasties? Check. Motorsports legends? Check. And there’s more. Kevin Gilardoni, star of the Italian GT Championship with Lamborghini, will show his skills in a Citroën C3 Rally2, while Marco Butti, a GT Endurance standout with Honda, will also compete in a Citroën C3 Rally2. TCR Italy’s Filippo Barberi is switching gears from an Audi RS3 to a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 for this special event.
A packed schedule of high-octane action
The Monza Rally Show features nine special stages spanning a total of 154.20 timed kilometres, promising plenty of drama and excitement. Sunday, December 8, will culminate in the highly anticipated Masters’ Show on the main straight, featuring the top three finishers, the nine fastest drivers from the Autodromo stages, and the top two from the Yaris Trophy.
