THE Monte Carlo rally will not he part of the world championships this year. The four-day event, which starts on January 22nd, has been taken off the world list because it will be restricted to two-litre non-turbo cars - paving the way for a new-look world championship in 1997.

The organisers are, however, still confident there will be plenty of interest in the race and expect around 150 starters. "We must comply with the new rules but we don't mind and we're sure the race will be interesting to watch," said rally spokesman Patrick Mannoury. "It was the same last year. A certain number of events were left out of the world championship."

Two other events, the Tour of Corsica and the RAC Rally at the end of the season in Britain, will also be outside the world championship this year.

"We don't really mind as we'll have 150 participants," Mannoury said. "Last year's San Remo Rally, which counted only for the two-litre formula, had only 80."

This year's favourite will be German Armin Schwarz, who will drive a Toyota Celica. Toyota will be hoping for a good showing after being banned from the world championship for using illegal turbo-restrictors in the Catalonia Rally in Spain in October.

Schwarz's closest rival should be 1994 winner Francois Delecour of France. Former Ford driver Delecour will mark Peugeot's first Monte Carlo event in 10 years by entering the race on icy mountain roads in the French Alps in a new 306