Preview: Telstra Rally Australia.

Wednesday, 9th November 2005

The WRC heads ‘down under’ this weekend for Telstra Rally Australia – the final round of sixteen which make up the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship.

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The WRC heads ‘down under’ this weekend for Telstra Rally Australia – the final round of sixteen which make up the 2005 FIA World Rally Championship.

Australia will also play host to the final round of the Production Car World Rally Championship season.

The competitive action starts on Thursday 10 November with two passes through the head-to-head Super Special stage at Gloucester Park before the event proper gets underway on Friday 11 November.

The rally comprises of 26 timed stages and covers 355.39 competitive kilometres, with the longest stage the 29.93km Helena North test used in Leg three while the shortest stage is the Super Special which will be used on five occasions.

The rally, and 2005 season, will conclude when the winning car crosses the finish ramp on Sunday at 1445hrs.

Special notes:

Famous for its treacherous road surface, that features a loose covering of marble-like gravel on top of a hard-packed base, grip levels can be very low. In dry conditions, those running first on the distinctive red roads will face a considerable disadvantage as they sweep the slippery surface for those behind, while those further down the order will benefit as the base layer becomes more exposed with the passing of every car.

Rally organisers recently announced that the Australian event will remain in Perth for the 2006 season, a popular decision with teams and spectators who relish the sunshine and stunning scenery that characterise the event. Often contested in warm sunshine and in temperatures of more than 27°C, the event mixes a holiday atmosphere with high-adrenalin action against the spectacular backdrop of the Australian countryside.

With plumes of dust trailing the cars, and spectacular jumps and watersplashes like those seen in the Sotico stages on the second day, the event is one of the most photogenic of the year.

FIA World Rally Championship news:

Citroen are now confirmed as double title winners after the last round in Spain, so expect all the drivers to be pushing hard for victory with nothing to play for from a title point of view. However Petter Solberg and Marcus Gronholm are currently locked together in the battle to take second behind Sebastien Loeb in the standings.

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