In Pictures: Gumball 3000 Rally starts

1 of 8 Many of the contestants in the 2005 Gumball 3000 Rally wore wigs and fancy dress as they left London for the annual fun road trip to Monte Carlo.

2 of 8 Two female drivers wait for the start of the rally which will take them through Brussels, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Dubrovnik, Sicily, Rome and Florence.

3 of 8 Model Caprice is among celebrities taking part in the 3,000 mile rally.

4 of 8 Thousands gathered at Waterloo Place, London, to wave off contestants who had paid £10,000 per car to enter the rally.

5 of 8 Actress Daryl Hannah is among celebrities in the race. Others include supermodel Jodie Kidd, Bez from Happy Mondays and Pepa from pop group Salt 'n' Pepa.

6 of 8 Frankie from rock band The Darkness (right) was among contestants in the seventh annual rally.

7 of 8 Mark Anthony from Buxton, Derbyshire, waited for the start which was delayed by 25 minutes as police cleared crowds from along Pall Mall.

8 of 8 Actress Daryl Hannah and co-driver Tina Basich head off for Monte Carlo after Formula One ace Jenson Button waved the Union flag to signal the rally's start.