Most stage-start sections are very fast, so coupled with the low tyre temperatures for the first few corners, changeable surface conditions can be incredibly tricky.
The German event is easily accessible from many countries, so it’s no surprise that fans from worldwide make the trip.
This year the location of the event’s service park has moved from Bostalsee to the Messepark Trier, which was last used when the event had two service locations back in 2002.
The move has been prompted by the inclusion of a new superspecial stage around the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Porta Nigra, in the centre of Germany’s oldest town. The superspecial, which has been named ‘Circus Maximus Trier’, will use a novel format, with up to four cars competing on the course at one time.
The rest of the rally route has been tweaked. Legs one and three will be based near Trier, while the second will include two well-known stages on the smooth, fast roads around Saarland, and the wide, dirty asphalt of the infamous Baumholder military ranges.
FIA World Rally Championship news:
Marcus Gronholm extended his lead in the 2007 FIA World Rally drivers' championship following his record seventh career win in Finland two weeks ago. Gronholm is now 13 points up on
Sebastien Loeb, who took third on the ‘Rally of a 1000 Lakes’.
Mikko Hirvonen remains behind Seb in the drivers’ standings – but he has closed the gap to the Frenchman from 7 points to 5.
In the Manufacturers' championship there was no change at the top - although the
BP Ford WRT did increase its lead again over
Citroen, from 28 points to a massive 40 points.
With only two weeks between the Rally Finland and Rallye Deutschland there have been no real big stories in between.
Marcus Gronholm has yet to confirm whether or not he will continue in the sport in 2008 – although his team-mate Mikko Hirvonen has told
Crash.net Radio that he believes the Finn won’t retire.
