By Paul Evans
Wales Rally GB begins this morning, with crews leaving the Service Area in Llandudno and tackling the Shakedown stage in Gwydir forest.
Elfyn Evans has enjoyed a good two day recce this week and says that he’s ready for his home round of the FIA World Rally Championship, despite a three month layoff after hurting his back in July.
“Of course I’ll be doing everything I can to win, it’s what we are here for,” says Evans. “The recce has been good and the stages are looking excellent. It’s looking like the first real day [Friday] will be more tricky in terms of, let’s say surprises on the stages thanks to the conditions that we were perhaps not expecting, but overall, it’s been a pretty good two days.”
Wales Rally GB is one of the most traditional and invariably one of the most challenging events on the WRC calendar, with its 22 competitive special stages, totalling 194 miles, run against-the-clock through the spectacular and famously unforgiving north Wales scenery.
The speed tests will be tackled this year by more than 53 international crews, with a further 60 competitors doing battle on the supporting two-day WRGB National Rally.
With just two further rounds in Spain and Australia remaining on the 2019 WRC calendar post Wales, battles for both Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles are reaching fever pitch. Ott Tänak (Toyota Yaris), Sébastien Ogier (Citroën C3) and Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20) are locked in a titanic three-way tussle for the former while Hyundai holds a slender lead over Toyota in the latter.
“Recce was good and there were not too many surprises,” acknowledged Ogier who is gunning for a seventh World Championship title and an unprecedented sixth victory in Wales. “Of course, there are stages we know, but there are some new sections and it looks like we are going to have the traditional conditions for Wales Rally GB. Shakedown tomorrow will be important to find the right set up and to be ready to fight for the win. The rally is exhausting for teams and drivers, but it has always been like this, so it is not a new challenge.
“Without playing with words, Toyota has been in a different category this year, but I’m always very optimistic and I like this rally. I feel comfortable on these roads, and I’m ready to push, try my best and put Ott [World Championship eader Tänak] under pressure.”
WALES RALLY GB ROUTE
Thursday 3 October
08:00 – Shakedown: Gwydir
16:00 – Ceremonial Start: Liverpool
19:08 – SS1: Dayinsure Oulton Park Stage
21:17 – Overnight: Llandudno
Friday 4 October
07:18 – SS2: Elsi 1
07:46 – SS3: Penmachno 1
09:56 – SS4: Dyfnant 1
10:53 – SS5: Aberhirnant 1
13:07 – Service: Llandudno
14:40 – SS6: Elsi 2
15:08 – SS7: Penmachno 2
15:57 – SS8: Slate Mountain
18:11 – SS9: Dyfnant 2
19:08 – SS10: Aberhirnant 2
21:11 – Service and overnight: Llandudno
Saturday 5 October
08:06 – SS11: Dyfi 1
10:08 – SS12: Myherin 1
11:02 – SS13: Sweet Lamb Hafren 1
12:40 – Regroup: Newtown
14:08 – SS14: Myherin 2
15:02 – SS15: Sweet Lamb Hafren 2
16:19 – SS16: Dyfi 2
19:13 – SS17: Colwyn Bay
19:49 – Service and overnight: Llandudno
Sunday 6 October
07:28 – SS18: Alwen 1
08:08 – SS19: Brenig 1
09:26 – SS20: Great Orme
11:10 – SS21: Alwen 2
12:18 – SS22: Brenig 2 (Wolf Power Stage)
13:32 – Ceremonial Finish: The Promenade, Llandudno