Subaru too are anticipating a good event, because while they haven't competed there as of yet, the success customer teams using the Impreza have had over the years should work to their advantage.

"We haven't had the opportunity to test in Ireland this year, but we have the benefit of knowledge gained by the many customer cars that are running and winning in Ireland," added SWRT managing director Richard Taylor.

"We know it's going to be a great challenge with very different tarmac roads to any other round and we're looking forward to it. It will be very exciting that there will likely be more Subaru WRC cars than at any other World Championship rally. I hope that we and all the other Subaru entries will put on a strong performance for the fans."


Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally team:

[Jari-Matti Latvala, car #9, Henning Solberg, car #10 [and Matthew Wilson, car #16 - not nominated for manufacturers' points]]

New co-driver for Henning, Latvala and Wilson Jr both have prior experience.

Henning Solberg will have a new co-driver for the Rally Ireland, as his regular co-pilot, Cato Menkerud has had to sit-out this event as he and his wife, Charlotte, are awaiting the imminent birth of their child. As such Swedish co-driver Göran Bergsten has been drafted in to fill the void.

The event will be a tough one though for the new pairing and like the previous three WRC events it will be another step into the unknown for Henning, who will be tackling the Irish roads for this first time in his career.

This time though many of his rivals will be in the same position and following a confidence boosting third place finish last time out in Japan, Solberg is keen to try and get his first ever points finish on asphalt.

“Again I really don't know what to expect of this rally as it is another new one for me. I have been told it can be a very difficult rally, very narrow, twisty and fast and if the weather is bad it can be extremely slippery. It is going to be a hard event but we have had some experience of tarmac this year which will help,” he noted.

“I will be looking to just get in the points here. We have been so close to the points on all the tarmac rallies this year so I will try my best for one in Ireland.

“The podium in Japan was another great moment and one in Ireland would be amazing but I don't want to make mistakes as this rally could be in the WRC again so it will be important to complete the event for experience, hopefully inside the top-eight.”