After the snow of Norway last time out, the World Rally Championship now heads to Cyprus for an event that will provide a new challenge for crews thanks to its mixed-surface conditions.

Cyprus returns to the calendar for the first time since 2006 and will be the first mixed-surface event in the WRC since 1996, with the opening leg being run on tarmac before two days of gravel running. To add a further twist to proceedings, the crews will be forced to use hard compound gravel tyres for all three days of competition.

The event will take place over just 14 stages, but that stages will run to a little more than 330km, including one test of more than 40km on the final day.

Special notes:

Rally Cyprus will take on a vastly different appearance in 2009 compared to its last running in the WRC in 2006. Indeed, only one stage remains from the schedule in place three years ago.

The event will continue to be based in the resort of Limassol, which will host the ceremonial start on Thursday evening, but the event will then head to the western edge of the Troodos mountains for the first leg on Friday before returning to the centre of the Troodos and the first gravel tests on Saturday.

Sunday's final leg will be run to the west of the mountains and contains only three stages, but they include two tests of more than 30km and may well provide a sting in the tail.


FIA World Rally Championship news:

In preparation for the mixed surface event, Pirelli has been busy testing with both Citroen and Ford to examine tyre wear and performance on the gravel rubber that will be used for Friday's asphalt stages.

Because of the mixed-surface nature, regulations for the event have also been modified to allow for four additional spare tyres per car for the opening day which will be available in the refuel area. The top seeded drivers will therefore receive 46 tyres for the event, while non-priority drivers will receive 29.

Runners in the Junior World Rally Championship will receive asphalt tyres for day one, but will not be able to exceed more than 24 tyres over the four days.