Disco-dancing Norwegian Petter Solberg begins the defense of his World Rally title this week in a sport entering a new era without some of its greatest champions.

　　Four drivers departed the stage last season in a passing of the torch between generations, leaving Solberg with Finland's Marcus Gronholm and Spanish veteran Carlos Sainz as the only competing drivers to have won rallying's greatest prize.

　　There will be no Colin McRae, no four-times champion Tommi Makinen, Didier Auriol or Richard Burns as the expanded championship seeks to become more global.

　　For the first time in more than a decade, there will be no British drivers when the season starts in Monte Carlo tomorrow.

　　McRae lost out at Citroen under new rules limiting teams to two drivers while Burns is being treated for a brain tumor diagnosed after he collapsed before last season's title showdown.

　　Hyundai and Skoda will no longer be chasing the manufacturers' title, although Mitsubishi return after a season's absence.

　　What there will be is a more far-flung championship than ever, extended to 16 rounds with the inclusion of Mexico and Japan for the first time, and a determined battle between rallying's young and older generations.

　　There will also be more Solberg family involvement, with Petter's older brother Henning entering seven events for a non-works Peugeot team.

　　Subaru's Solberg is part of the youth revolution, a flamboyant first-time champion at the age of 28.

　　An avid disco dancer in his teens, Solberg duelled Citroen's Sebastien Loeb and celebrated his victory Viking-style with a horned helmet at the British finish last November.

　　Still the showman, he intends to pace himself differently this time.

　　"I start the year as world champion but in terms of driving it makes no difference to me at all," he said. "Some people have asked if I can afford to take it easy now, but I know there are areas that I can improve on.

　　"Monte Carlo has not been the best rally for me in the past and I've yet to prove myself in the first few events of the season," he added in a team preview.

　　"I'm planning for things to be different this year, so I'm changing my strategy for the opening rounds.

　　"Last year I would have been fighting for first place from the very first stage, but now I think that's not the best way to be so don't be surprised if I'm not in the points after the first day," added Solberg.

　　Loeb's dream of becoming the first French champion since Auriol in 1994 were shattered when Citroen ordered him to put the team before his personal ambitions and ensure they won the manufacturers' title in their first full season.

　　He can expect his reward this season, with Citroen eager to make amends. Where better to start than Monte Carlo, where Loeb last year led a team one-two-three?

　　"We want to defend our title and we also want to take the drivers' crown," said team boss Guy Frequelin.

　　Loeb's teammate Sainz is now the oldest driver in the championship and has a record in his sights, even if Loeb is more likely to win the title.

　　Sainz has won 25 rallies in a career that started in Portugal in 1987, a record that he shares with McRae. One more victory, such as the Spaniard's win in Turkey last year, and the outright record is his.

　　"The winter break was short but great," he said. "I was able to charge up my batteries and I'm very much looking forward to the Monte Carlo Rally.

　　"I am one of those who loves the Monte. It's one of my favorite events and one of the events I always dreamt of winning at the beginning of my career."

　　Gronholm leads Peugeot's charge in an all-new car, the 307 replacing the 206 that won three manufacturers' titles in a row up to last year.

　　"However happy we may be with the way testing went over the winter, we are conscious that the 307 WRC is only at the beginning of its career and nothing can replace actual competition," said Peugeot technical director Michel Nandan.

　　"Peugeot has its sights set on the world title at the end of the year and our drivers will be out to give it everything they've got."

　　Ford again has the youngest driver line-up of any team, with Estonian Markko Martin and 23-year-old Belgian Francois Duval, but not the least experienced. Between them, they still have 90 starts.

　　"I would like to kick-start the year with a good points finish," said Martin, winner of two rounds last year. "I find this the most difficult rally in the championship."

　　The Monte Carlo Rally, oldest event in the championship, hits the road in earnest on Friday after a ceremonial start in Casino Square tomorrow evening.