Just four days after turning off their engines in Spain, competitors will fire up again this Friday for the second instalment of the FIA World Rally Championship's asphalt double header in the Mediterranean.

The location this time is the craggy island of Corsica where Rallye de France-Tour de Corse offers a totally different challenge to the one just faced on the Rally Catalunya.

This 13th round of the series is regarded as the definitive asphalt encounter. Spain's fast, smooth flowing roads will be replaced by narrow and tortuously twisty ribbons of frequently broken asphalt. The mountain speed tests are tough enough to master, but the likelihood of unpredictable weather makes the challenge even more difficult for both drivers and their support teams.

The event kicks off with a ceremonial start at the Place Foch in Ajaccio on Thursday night, with the competitive action starting on Friday October 12 at 0838hrs [local time] with the 18.10km Monti Rossu – Pila Canale stage.


Special notes:

Corsica, situated off the south-eastern coastline of France, is well known for its picturesque, unspoiled countryside, which is dominated by forests and mountains.

On the abrasive asphalt road surface tyre wear is high, and the rally is amongst the most punishing of the year. The narrow roads hug the sides of the mountains, and drivers are often faced with sheer rock face on one side and steep drops on the other.

Absolute precision is crucial at this event. Similar to Catalunya, drivers need to adopt a clear racing line throughout the stage to carry speed through the corners. There is no margin for error and the concentration levels are at their highest as drivers wind their way through the 'Rally of 10,000 Corners'.

Characterised by the hard acceleration and heavy braking that comes with each twist and turn on the island roads, the g-forces generated are the highest in the championship.

The Corsican weather can be as dramatic as the landscape. Within an hour bright sunshine can give way to heavy rain as warm sea air meets the cool mountain breeze. There can be heavy localised showers – it's not unusual for drivers to leave the service park in dry conditions and come across rain at the stage start or during the stage, so weather crews have a very important role.