The FIA World Rally Championship heads to New Zealand this week for the third rally in just five weekends - and the event is generally regarded by the drivers' as one of the most enjoyable in the championship.

Only once before has the rally been held in August, which is late winter in the southern hemisphere, and as such, rain is a strong possibility.

Like last year, the event is based at Mystery Creek near Hamilton, about 100km south of Auckland.

It is made up of 18 special stages (including three runs at the Mystery Creek superspecial) and the total competitive distance will be 353.56km.

The rally commences with a ceremonial start in Hamilton city centre at 1830hrs on Thursday 30 August, with the finish podium taking place at Mystery Creek at 1515hrs on Sunday 2 September [all times local].


Special notes:

Two weeks after the smooth asphalt of Germany, the WRC returns to gravel once more for the 37th Rally New Zealand.

The stunning gravel roads of Hamilton are like rollercoasters that carve through the lush green countryside of the North Island. Heavily cambered, they favour the brave, and speed comes with flat-out commitment.

The shift to an earlier slot in the WRC schedule means it will be approaching springtime in New Zealand and consequently slightly cooler than last year's event, which ran in November.

The usual conditions for this time of year are approximately 10-15 degrees Celsius with intermittent showers possible.

As on most gravel rallies, running first on the road at this event is generally a disadvantage as the stages are covered with loose gravel, sand and dust. The difference between the first and eighth car on the road can be worth as much as a second per kilometre.

The cleaning effect is normally quite pronounced in New Zealand, but rain can neutralise or even reverse the process.

A little rain will bind the loose gravel and dust together and stop the road from cleaning so quickly, while a lot of rain will soak through the loose surface and make the base increasingly slippery.

As in Germany, tyre choice is absolutely critical. However, rather than the very unpredictable weather of Trier, here the choice is largely dictated by road position and calculating how much the surface has been cleaned by the cars ahead.