Brock ready to tackle Australian Safari.

In the shadows of Mount Panorama, the mountain that made him famous, Australian motor racing legend Peter Brock has had his final practice run prior to Saturday's start to the 2003 Australian Safari.

The nine-time Bathurst winner declared himself and his four-wheel-drive Holden Rally Team Motorola Rodeo ready to tackle the event, described as Australia's most gruelling race.

"This new Rodeo is a bit of a monster truck and I believe we are well enough prepared to handle anything the Safari can dish up to us," Brock said.

Beginning in Bathurst on Saturday morning, Safari competitors will visit some of the harshest and most remote locations in Australia and cover over 4,600km during the course of the eight-day event.

"It's eight days of the most demanding and challenging conditions, and it is an event where you are more racing the terrain rather than your competitors," Brock said. "Just to finish the event is a major achievement in itself."

Along with the Auto division, the Safari also comprises the fourth round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship for motorcycles, with three-time Safari winner Andy Caldecott aiming for a fourth straight victory aboard his works KTM 660 Rallye bike.

A win in the Safari could move Caldecott into the World Championship lead with just three events remaining.

"The Safari is one of the world's great races and a fourth win would be terrific, but there's a long way to go and a lot of ground to cover before I can start counting anything," Caldecott said. "The competition is strong and there are works entries from KTM, Honda and Yamaha, so nothing is a given. We'll just take it one day at a time and hope for the best."

The Safari will make overnight stops in Narromine, Bourke, White Cliffs, Broken Hill, Balranald, Condobolin and Mudgee before finishing back in Bathurst on Saturday, August 30.