Loeb 賭事s on his fitness in Monte Carlo

The 2007 World 決起大会／結集させる 選手権 kicks off on Thursday with a 徹底的に remodelled Monte Carlo event held in an area that has not seen the 決起大会／結集させる for 10 years.

抱擁する changes to the 選手権's oldest event were 必然的な after traffic 大混乱 in the cramped 地域 just north of Monaco brought it to a 行き詰まり last season.

For the 最高の，を越す drivers, the new 判型 means the first truly level playing field in their memory.

非，不，無 of them has experience of the mountain roads in the Ardeche 地域, south-west of Lyon.

They will be based at Valence, on the banks of the Rhone for three days, only moving to Monte Carlo for a final （人が）群がる-pleasing burst on the Principality's Grand Prix 回路・連盟.

Most 憶測 on the 75th Monte will centre on whether 統治するing 支持する／優勝者 Sebastien Loeb has 回復するd 十分に from his broken arm to challenge Ford's two 飛行機で行くing Finns Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen.

The Frenchman, who must also grapple with a new car - the Citroen C4 - has 認める he is いっそう少なく than 100 per cent match fit.

"There are still some movements that are difficult," he said. But 追加するd: "That has not stopped me 存在 急速な／放蕩な in 実験（する）ing."

For Gronholm, who won seven events last year to help Malcolm Wilson's British-based outfit take its first 建設者's 肩書を与える for 27 years, the season will be all about winning his third driver's 栄冠を与える.

The fact that he is now 完全に attuned to the Ford 焦点（を合わせる） and feels valued by the team will be a big psychological 上げる.

However, as he said: "I will go 急速な／放蕩な on the Monte but you can never 運動 flat out because the roads are so 予測できない. I want to 勝利，勝つ but I am not going to go crazy for victory."

Subaru, coming off their worst season in 12 years, must 固執する with their old car until the new Impreza is ready in March and neither of their drivers would 予報する a 勝利，勝つ before then.

Sadly for British hopes neither Guy Wilks nor Kris Meeke will be on the Monte. Both starred in the Junior 選手権 in 2006 but with the 上級の series still far below its glory days of five years ago, there is no place for either man.

Only Matthew Wilson remains to 飛行機で行く the 旗. The Ford 長，指導者's son hopes for better things this year, although not on the Monte. He will also lose his status as the 選手権's only teenage 正規の／正選手 on his 20th birthday すぐに after the event.