The 2006
FIA World Rally Championship heads to Spain this weekend - the first 'true' asphalt event of the year.
The Rally Catalunya has little in common with the earlier sealed surface rally in Monte Carlo and is the fastest of the four asphalt events on the WRC schedule.
Based near Salou, Spain will also play host to the second round of the 2006 Junior WRC.
The action begins with a ceremonial start on the Salou seafront on Thursday night, with the competitive action starting at 0805hrs the next day. The rally comprises 16 stages - with six on leg one, six on leg two and four on the final day.
There's been little change to the route for 2006, although a new 15.85km stage has been created between the towns of Margalef and la Palma d'Ebre. The podium finish will be on the Salou promenade on Sunday at 1456hrs.
As the Rally Catalunya is paired with Corsica's Tour de Corse, which will follow in two weeks time, competitors will use the same cars with one week in between for re-preparation.
Special notes:
The route of Rally Catalunya has changed several times in recent years. In 2005, the event's base moved 200km south from the Costa Brava to the Costa Daurada and to roads that had not been part of World Championship rallying for ten years. Most of the special stages are now based in the mountains of the Tarragona region.
The smooth, wide roads of Rally Catalunya make it the fastest sealed surface rally of the year.
Cutting corners is commonplace as drivers look for every advantage on the stages and accurate pace notes are critical to optimise the racing line. The cars ride lower to the ground than on gravel events, with the suspension set much stiffer to reduce body roll and maximise cornering speeds.
This year the rally has changed dates, moving from late autumn to early spring. The calendar shift brings with it an increased chance of rain and colder temperatures which could make the stages especially dirty and slippery. It could also make tyre choices difficult.
FIA World Rally Championship news:
Sebastien Loeb leads the 2006 FIA World Rally drivers' championship following his win in Mexico earlier this month. Marcus Gronholm has dropped to second, 5 points behind, while Manfred Stohl is third having notched up 11 points.
