- British pair to compete in specialist regularity rally in works-backed, standard road-going Alpine A290 GTS
- Duo will be scored based on their speed and energy efficiency on stages held over 1000km of driving in and around Monte Carlo
- Additional support comes from AtkinsRéalis, a global partner of the BWT Alpine Formula One Team and employer of co-driver Craig Parry
- E-Rallye Monte Carlo runs from October 13-18, and features 60 competitors
The Alpine A290 will compete on roads rich in motorsport heritage in and around Monaco this week, with British duo Richard Crozier and Craig Parry tackling the E-Rallye Monte Carlo at the wheel of the award-winning hot hatch.
For navigator Parry, an engineering geologist at AtkinsRéalis, a BWT Alpine Formula One Team partner, it is a return to the cockpit of the sports hot hatch, after he and driver Ashleigh Morris drove to a third-place finish in the Category Two International Class on ecoRally Scotland this summer.
That result helped Alpine win the Category Two Manufacturer title on that event, after French duo Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Guigou, a 10-time French Rally Champion, and co-driver Emilien Le Borgne, took first place in class. The pair, who are also competing in Monte Carlo, are long-time Alpine ambassadors and have demonstrated their mastery of regularity rallying behind the wheel of the nimble A290 throughout this season.
“Competing in an Alpine UK-backed A290 again on such famous roads is a dream come true,” said Parry. “Scotland showed that it is the perfect car for these types of regularity events; nimble, agile, practical and comfortable over long distances, while delivering great efficiency. It’s an honour to be on the event, adding another small chapter to Alpine’s competition history in its 70th anniversary year.”
Crozier, meanwhile, is new to the A290, but has enjoyed an extensive career in UK and international motorsport, having acted as clerk of the course on ecoRally Scotland this year. He has also competed in the British Rally Championship and World Rally Championship and other national rallies, in both the co-driver and driver seats. He and Parry will be competing in the 220hp Alpine A290 GTS model.
“I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the Alpine A290,” said Crozier. “Its motorsport DNA should make it the perfect vehicle for the twisting roads in and around Monaco, and it’s a real honour to drive the car in such a famous location, where Alpine already has such a rich history of competition success in the World Rally Championship.”
E-Rallye Monte Carlo runs from October 13-18, and is held exclusively for electric vehicles, with the goal of showcasing how motorsport can contribute to innovative design and engineering. The event has more than 60 crews competing from across Europe, taking on a gruelling 1000km route surrounding the principality. The four-day event utilises roads and mountain passes made famous by the legendary Rallye Monte Carlo.
Unlike regular rallying or rallycross, with their focus on getting from point-to-point in the quickest time possible, ecoRally competitors are instead scored on their speed and energy efficiency over ‘regularity’ stages.
Nicola Burnside, Managing Director of Alpine UK, commented: “Alpine’s motorsport-honed attributes of lightness and agility are just as relevant in today’s electrified world as they’ve always been, and I’m delighted to support Richard and Craig as they look to take on some of the world’s best regularity drivers around Monte Carlo. A290 combines dynamic performance with real-world efficiency, and we’ll all be cheering the team on throughout this challenging event.”
The Alpine A290, crowned Best Fun EV in the 2025 Autocar Awards, is available now at Alpine retailers nationwide.