However in the Manufacturers' championship it is still all to play for and the Citroen Total WRT will take an 11 point cushion over BP Ford Abu Dhabi into Rally GB.

Since the last event there have been a number of developments, although probably the most significant and newsworthy was Sebastien Loeb's F1 test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain with the Red Bull Racing F1 team.

Intended as a 'thank-you' by mutual sponsor Red Bull for winning the WRC drivers' title in the 'Land of the Rising Sun', Loeb completed 82 laps in total, his best a 1 minute 22.503 seconds, which left him eighth overall on the unofficial timesheets - just two tenths slower than Robert Kubica and quicker than the likes of Nelson Piquet Jr, Adrian Sutil and Christian Klein.


News from the Manufacturers' teams:

Citroen Total WRT:

[Sebastien Loeb, car #1 and Daniel Sordo, car #2]

Sebastien Loeb:

"I've hardly had time to catch my breath since Japan. The Wales Rally GB is an event I enjoy. The atmosphere is always very special, especially on the stages run in semi-darkness. The terrain is also highly specific, and never easy. The muddy conditions can produce differing levels of grip from one corner to the next, while other portions can be impressively fast and technically challenging, especially given how little grip there is - when there is grip! It's a rally I've never won - for a variety of reasons - and I would dearly like to win it one day. That probably won't be our priority this time round, however. Winning the Manufacturers' title is important for Citroen and we will do all we can to make that happen. That will mean defending our current eleven-point lead, steering clear of all the pitfalls and finishing as close to our rivals as we can."


Dani Sordo:

"We will be trying harder than ever to score a top result in Wales. I haven't got all that much experience of this event, but that doesn't stop me from being something of a fan. It's such a varied rally and the stages aren't too tough on the cars. What I dislike the most however is the fog. At night, when the only thing you can see in front of you is a white wall, it really isn't easy. It takes a big effort to push yourself to go faster. On top of that, if you add rain or even snow into the equation, then it's nothing short of a nightmare. But that's what makes it such a legendary event! Winning the Manufacturers' title [for Citroen] in Wales would be the best reward I can think of."


BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRT:

[Mikko Hirvonen, car #3 and Jari-Matti Latvala, car #4 and Khalid Al Qassimi, car #19]

Mikko Hirvonen:

"Some parts of the rally are very fast, even quicker than in Finland. The difference is that the fast parts here don't last long because there are usually hairpin bends that bring the speeds down again. The nature of the roads changes more than in Finland. Last year was probably the toughest Rally GB I have ever driven. Driving in darkness in fog and rain was incredibly difficult. Night driving makes the rally even trickier, because this is the only round where we drive in the dark apart from Japan and Monte Carlo. It's something I will practise during my test this weekend. I feel confident and think we have a good chance of a 1-2 finish and if we can do that I hope it's enough to win the title for Ford."


Jari-Matti Latvala:

"I regard this as my second home rally. I drove many rallies here in 2002 and 2003 and I'm familiar with the nature of the roads. It's a classic rally and one that I would really like to win. The mid-Wales stages will be new to many drivers but I have something in my memory of those roads from those seasons. They are high on the hills and quite open, but enjoyable to drive.

"When it's dark and gloomy in Wales, then it's incredibly dark. If it rains the roads become very muddy and conditions can be really difficult. Night driving is specialised so it was important for me to test in the dark and get used to driving with the extra lights we fit to the car. Fog is probably the most difficult weather in which to drive, especially if it's dark as well. A driver needs to feel confident with the pace notes, be brave and rely heavily on the co-driver. If the notes are not precise enough then it's easy to lose confidence quickly. On the other hand, a good performance in those conditions can gain a lot of time."


Khalid Al Qassimi:

"This will be my GB debut and I had a two-day test last week to get used to the conditions. I don't like wet weather rallies so it will be hard to adjust to. It's easy to slide, spin or go off in those conditions. The test was important because driving on mud in the forests helped me find my pace. This is my last event of a long year, my first full season. It's gone well and I feel I'm progressing better than last year. After 10 events this year, I feel I'm part of the team on merit. I've gained extra mileage, extra confidence, achieved some good results and generally lifted my pace. I've made many changes to my notes and all the time I'm developing my knowledge and experience."


Subaru WRT:

[Petter Solberg, car #5 and Chris Atkinson, car #6]

Petter Solberg:

"I like the rally a lot and we're normally fast when it's foggy or raining with lots of mud so I'm looking forward to it. I think pace notes play a huge part here. It's about perfection with the notes and the way Phil gives them and helps with judging distances when visibility is poor. That's where he is very strong. In the past we've generally always been fighting for a win or fighting at the top here. We had some good speed on Saturday and Sunday in Japan which gives us a positive going into GB. There are still a few little things we need to work on for sure, but there was another small improvement with the car in the last test."


Chris Atkinson: