WRC Rally Australia preview - Ford hope to turn the tables down under
The return of the WRC to Australia will see the local round run in a new location 300 kms south of the previous event in 2009 and 535 kms north of Sydney. The field features 29 cars in the WRC and Production Car WRC rounds, with drivers and co-drivers representing 22 countries from Russia to Brazil and Australia. A further 70 cars are entered in two companion domestic events, the Coffs Coast Forest Rally and Coffs Coast Classic Rally.
The route, to the west, south and north of Coffs Harbour on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights beside the city's harbour beach, will comprise 26 competitive stages over 369 kilometres.
WRC Ford drivers arrive in Australia desperate to end a winless streak, which dates back to February's Rally Sweden, where Mikko Hirvonen got the new 1.6 litre World Rally Car era off to a flying start with victory in his Fiesta RS WRC. Hirvonen won the last Rally Australia to take place in Perth in 2006 and took first place in Australia in 2009 following Loeb's demotion due to a technical infringement. Hirvonen's fellow Finn, Jari-Matti Latvala, in the second factory Fiesta, is gunning for his first win of 2011 and will be a contender for victory.
Evgeny Novikov and Matthew Wilson head the M-Sport Stobart Ford challenge in their Fiesta RS WRCs. Russian Novikov is one of the fastest drivers in the WRC on his day, while Briton Wilson is a hugely consistent performer. Henning Solberg will also be armed with an M-Sport Stobart Fiesta and will be capable of landing a points' finish. Team Abu Dhabi's Khalid Al Qassimi and Monster World Rally Team's Ken Block, from America, will also be in contention to finish comfortably inside the top 10 in their Fiestas.
With the stages new to all drivers, the Ford teams are no doubt hoping this will help level the playing field and deliver a long overdue win to the Blue Oval.
Rally Australia will start officially with a rally show, Welcome to Country ceremony by indigenous community representatives and other festivities in the centre of Coffs Harbour from 4.30pm Thursday. A highlight for fans will be the Castrol Edge Super Special Stage, which covers 3.77 kms on mostly tarmac at Coffs Harbour's Jetty area adjacent to the harbour, surf beach and a restaurant strip and is sure to generate an exhilarating atmosphere at night. The permanent BP Ultimate Service Park will be located at Coffs Harbour Regional Airport.
Tickets priced from $15 to a range of day and nighttime Spectator Points are available via Ticketek.com.au, by phone on 132 849, or at Ticktek retail outlets including WOW Sight and Sound in Coffs Harbour.
For more details, go to rallyaustralia.com.au
