Engineering the World Rally— Monte Carlo… or Bust?

Overview

Signing up for the 2006 season of the most extreme and exciting motorsport, six-part series Engineering the World Rally joins the Subaru World Rally Team as they and 2003 champion, Petter 'Hollywood' Solberg, fight for the championship through six countries and 11 months of intense competition. This ultimate off-road challenge pits massively powerful four-wheel drive rally cars - in the hands of some of the world's greatest drivers - against the toughest and most varied terrain on the planet. These guys hurtle down narrow twisty roads, along bumpy, dusty tracks, through deep water and across solid ice at speeds exceeding 130mph. They're supported by teams of dedicated engineers and mechanics, together with their straight-talking bosses and success-hungry sponsors. It's a world of fragile egos, high emotions and constant human drama. With unprecedented access, Engineering the World Rally gets under the skin of the Subaru WRC team and follows their every move as they engineer and prepare the cars for each event, test and shakedown, and enjoy the highs and suffer the lows of each three-day rally. It is an emotional rollercoaster of action both behind-the-scenes and on the rally stage.

Documentary

Current EpisodeSeason 1 • Episode 1Aired: 2007-03-1245 min

1. Monte Carlo… or Bust?

The year begins with a frantic dash to the start line. It's just days before the Monte Carlo Rally and the Subaru team's new €600,000 car isn't ready. With an annual budget of €50,000,000, and constant pressure from the parent company in Japan to get results, the British-based team goes to extraordinary lengths to develop and improve every aspect of their car's design. Former champion Petter 'Hollywood' Solberg is hoping for a good start to the year with the new car at his least favourite rally. The team's two younger drivers – Chris Atkinson and Stephane Sarrazin – are fighting to win team boss David Lapworth's favour and a long-term contract.