Greetings, Rally Enthusiasts,
The next major milestone for the Assetto Corsa Rally Early Access program is on the horizon!
We are thrilled to be the first rally simulation to feature a comprehensive, laser-scanned recreation of the Monte-Carlo Rally, delivered with uncompromising fidelity to the real-world environment.
This prestigious location arrives as two distinct stages, each meticulously crafted to capture the unique character, road geometry, and punishing technicality that have made this region a cornerstone of motorsport history.
The Col de Turini is a monumental mountain pass defined by unyielding elevation shifts, extreme technical complexity, and a razor-thin margin for error.
Spanning 18 km, the route climbs steeply through dense forests before emerging onto precarious, exposed alpine ridges.
The stage is characterized by a relentless barrage of tight hairpins, brief sprints, and off-camber bends that demand surgical car placement and disciplined throttle management.
Grip levels are notoriously unpredictable due to varying altitudes, shadowed sectors, and surface transitions, making tyre strategy and pace-note precision paramount. With limited visibility and narrow roads offering no room for recovery, over-ambition is heavily penalized.
Mechanical endurance is pushed to the limit by constant low-speed acceleration, while the driver’s mental focus must remain absolute from the starting line to the final timing beam.
The Sisteron stage offers a high-velocity, fluid 13 km test that serves as a sharp contrast to the more claustrophobic alpine routes.
Featuring wide, well-maintained surfaces, this stage is defined by sweeping corners, rapid transitions, and several high-speed sectors where unwavering commitment is essential.
The layout rewards confidence and clean racing lines, with high average speeds maintained throughout the run.
While elevation changes are less severe, they are frequent enough to upset the car’s balance, particularly over crests that lead into high-speed turns.
Precision under braking is vital, as many corners are approached at significant speed with few visual cues. The rhythm is deceptive; errors often occur when drivers push too hard early on and struggle to regain composure in the latter half of the stage.
Aerodynamic stability, braking efficiency, and impeccable pace notes are the keys to mastery here.
Powered by a 1.6-liter, narrow-angle V4 engine generating between 115 and 130+ hp, this legendary front-wheel-drive machine secured victory in both the 1972 International Rally Championship and the Monte-Carlo Rally.
A modern masterpiece of FIA Rally2 engineering, this all-wheel-drive contender utilizes a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine producing 289 HP. It made a stunning competitive debut by winning the Lausitz Rally in late 2022.
Mirroring the unpredictable nature of the real-world Monte-Carlo event, our stages now feature volatile weather patterns where snow can transition to tarmac and back again in a single run. We have integrated this into our dynamic weather engine, which we believe is a genre-first for representing real-time snowy accumulations and transitions.
Drivers may begin a stage under clear, sunny skies, only to encounter a snow-blanketed mountain peak before descending back into dry conditions.
This makes studying the forecast and selecting the appropriate tyre compounds a critical component of your pre-stage preparation.
Unlike other titles where weather is static or localized to specific “zones,” snow in Assetto Corsa Rally can manifest anywhere on the stage when the atmospheric conditions are met. While players can force snow through the menus, the “Dynamic Weather” setting utilizes the following logic:
-
Snowfall is triggered when precipitation occurs at temperatures below 0°C.
-
Ambient temperature is calculated based on:
-
Geographic location (southern latitudes remain warmer).
-
Time of day (mercury drops significantly after dusk).
-
Altitude (temperature decreases as you climb).
-
The following features are slated for the v0.3 update.
Additional enhancements will follow in subsequent patches.
-
Snow features are currently exclusive to the two Monte Carlo stages.
-
Your vehicle will leave persistent tracks in the snow; however, you will currently be the first car on the road without pre-existing tracks from competitors.
-
Asphalt friction is now temperature-sensitive: colder surfaces offer noticeably less grip.
-
Studded tyres will be available for icy conditions and can be mixed with standard tarmac tyres for hybrid setups.
Navigating the frozen precipices of Monte-Carlo requires specialized traction. To address this, we are debuting two new tyre compounds engineered specifically for harsh winter environments.
As the stage surface evolves, your choice of rubber becomes as vital as your racing line. Assetto Corsa Rally now allows you to mix and match compounds, mirroring real-world rally tactics.
Whether you opt for a staggered Snow/Winter hybrid or a full winter configuration, you have the tactical flexibility to adapt to whatever the mountain demands.
“To our dedicated Assetto Corsa Rally community,
We would like to apologize for the slight delay regarding this update. While we originally targeted a January release, we chose to invest a few additional weeks to ensure the “Col de Turini” and “Sisteron” stages reached the level of polish they deserve.
Monte Carlo represents a significant technical and production hurdle, but we believe you will appreciate these 31km of authentic, laser-scanned terrain—recreated without compromise to uphold the core vision of AC Rally.
Beyond the stages, we have dedicated substantial time to implementing new vehicles, special events, and the dynamic snow/ice system, alongside refinements to the tyre physics and force feedback (FFB).
A two-month cadence between updates has proven to be the ideal window for managing these complex features, and we intend to maintain this interval moving forward.
We hope you enjoy this update, and please know that even when we are quiet, we are actively monitoring your feedback with the utmost care.
Thank you for your continued patience and support.
– Supernova Games Studio”