This weekend the WRC heads to Turkey for another one of the more difficult events on the calendar, with Sebastien Loeb seeking to extend his lead in his quest to retain the title and a familiar face making his return to the WRC.
Turkey will also play host to the fourth round in the 2005
FIA Production Car WRC.
Beginning on Thursday 2 June with a ceremonial start in Antalya, the gruelling three-day rally is the second event in a trio of Mediterranean hot, gravel rallies, following on from Cyprus and with Greece to come in a matter of weeks.
Special notes:
Presenting crews with a series of twisty, rock-strewn tests run high in the Anatolian Mountains, the event's terrain should have a familiar feel. The challenging stages will be similar to those used in the previous event in Cyprus, while the event's twisty nature means it is one of the slowest rallies of the year.
The 2005 Rally of Turkey will once again be based around the town of Kemer, 40km south of the holiday resort of Antalya and like last season the event is likely to be hot and dry, with temperatures in excess of 30°C, providing drivers with an extra challenge to overcome.
FIA World Rally Championship news:
Sebastien Loeb continues to lead World Rally drivers' championship following his dominant win in Greece last time out. The Frenchman now has a lead of eleven points over
Petter Solberg and
Markko Martin who share second place.
In the constructors' championship, Peugeot are still the team to beat with a nine point lead over
Citroen.
News from the Manufacturers' teams:
Citroen Total:
[
Sebastien Loeb, car #1 and Carlos Sainz, car #2]
Three wins in a row has seen Sebastien Loeb build a handy lead at the top of the standings and he will head into this weekend hoping to extend his lead still further – although running first on the road on Friday could again prove to be a disadvantage.
![Rally of Turkey winners, Sebastien Loeb and Daniel Elena [Citroen]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/97694.jpg )
