The WRC has had a turbulent few years, particularly from a UK perspective, but as the new season starts there’s an embarrassment of positive stories.

After scraping together a UK TV deal to air highlights on ITV4 a couple of rallies into last season, that continues into 2014, along with an additional deal for extended coverage on BT Sport. That will take in live coverage as well as daily highlights, even if the BT Sport website is no help in finding out when it’s on.

Then there’s the sport itself. How will Robert Kubica fare in his first full time WRC campaign? How about Kris Meeke at Citroen? And will new manufacturer Hyundai do a Volkswagen, or more of a Suzuki – or worse, a Mini?

But more importantly: glasses

That’s all good, but the best story is Thierry Neuville. After a storming 2013 season, finishing second in the championship in the factory-support-less Fiesta, this year the Belgian is Hyundai’s lead driver. Which is lovely for him. But it’s also good news for his glasses, which if there’s any justice, will rise in profile with the man himself.

Glasses are quite rare in motorsport, and vaguely interesting glasses – Jari-Matti Latvala doesn’t count – even more so since Sebastien Bourdais stopped wearing that red pair he had back around his time in F1.

I don’t even wear glasses, so no vested interest here. They’re just a bit of interest on motorsport’s largely bland faces, aren’t they? And therefore to be encouraged.

Meanwhile…

Glasses or no, Sebastien Ogier continued where he left off by setting the fastest time on shakedown for Rallye Monte-Carlo today. Tantalisingly, Meeke was second.

Photo Credits
WRC on BT Sport: Hyundai
Thierry Neuville’s orange glasses: Florival fr – Wikimedia Commons – Some rights reserved
Thierry Neuville’s blue glasses: Hyundai
Sebastien Bourdais’s red glasses: Wikimedia Commons