WRC 2009 Calendar: RallyBuzz events preview guide
Photo: www.rallyemotions.net
In preparation for the 2009 WRC Season, RallyBuzz looks forward to the 12 rounds of the World Rally Championship. We would also like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a very Happy New Year.
Six of the twelve events are returning back to the WRC after breaks from the series. They are Ireland, Norway Cyprus, Portugal and Australia, plus Poland also sees its return to the WRC with a gravel event close to the city or Warsaw. The FIA have adopted a ‘rotation’ system, where each event will take place every two years, increasing the total number of WRC rallies to 24 (if they can achieve that number though). With this new system 12 rallies will take place in a year, rather than the current 15, in an attempt to reduce costs and attract new manufacturer teams.
Rally Ireland (28th January – 1st February) - www.rallyireland.org/
Starting at the end of January the WRC heads out to Rally Ireland (28th January – 1st February). Last held in 2007 the event takes the place of Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo as part of the rotation system to allow for new events to be added to the WRC Calendar. As in 2007, the location for the rally will once again be the north-western counties of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The rally will be run on a tarmac surface.
Rally Norway (11-15 February) - www.rallynorway.com
Returning for 2009 is Rally Norway which is based in around the city of Hamar. The rally takes place on snow during the Norwegian Winter during the coldest months of the year where the temperatures do not go above zero degrees Celsius. The service pack will again be located in the Hamar Olympic Hall - “The Viking Ship”, which is in the shape of a Viking Ship.
The Cyprus Rally (11th – 15th March) - www.cyprusrally.com.cy
Last seen as a WRC event in 2006, The Cypurs Rally returns with new routes, a new Service Park and launching a WRC first to incorporate alternate surfaces on the event The rally will be ran on Day 1 as asphalt. Days 2 and 3 will offer challenging gravel stages for which Cyrpus was renowned.
Rally de Portugal (2nd -5th April) - www.rallydeportugal.pt
2007 was the last running of the Rally de Portugal and who could forget the Super Special with Gigi Galli sporting a Portugal football shirt while driving along standing on top of the car!
The rally will be run again on the competitive and spectacular stages of Algarve and Alentejo with three legs, a total distance of 1164.63 Km and 18 special stages (361 Km). The event base will again be the Algarve Stadium, where two super special stages will be held; one at the beginning of the event and the second closing the rally.
Rally Argentina (22nd -26th April) - www.rallyargentina.com/
The 29th edition of the Rally Argentina will have rounds of the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship (PWRC) and for the FIA Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC).
Rally d'Italia-Sardegna (20th -24th May) - http://www.rallyitaliasardegna.com
On the Italian island of Sardinia the rally is expected to be as tough as ever in the summer slot. It will be rounds of the FIA World Rally Championships, FIA Production Car World Rally Championship (PWRC) and for the FIA Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC).
Acropolis Rally (10th -14th June) - www.acropolisrally.gr
Round 7 of the World Rally Championships takes us to Greece. 2009 will see the event being hosted by the town of Loutraki. The town's geographical location is approximately 85 km west of Athens and 120 km from the Port of Patras. The Service and Rally HQ will be based at the Club Hotel Casino Loutraki, located on the sea side, at the entrance of Loutraki, approx. 5 km from the Athens - Corinth - Patras National Road. The Service Park will be in walking distance from the HQ. The WRC and PWRC championships will both be contested on this event.
Rally Poland (24th -28th June) - www.rajdpolski.pl
The Rally of Poland is the second oldest rally in the world (Monte Carlo is the oldest, first being run in 1911). The first edition of The Rally of Poland was run in 1921 and in 2001 it celebrated its 80th anniversary. In 1973 The Rally of Poland was the one among 13 rounds of newly established FIA World Rally Championship. Poland also sees its return to the WRC with a gravel event close to the city or Walsaw in late June and will host rounds of the WRC as well as the PWRC.
Rally Finland (29th July – 2nd August) - www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi
After the midseason break the season restarts with the iconic Rally Finland.
Sébastien Loeb and the Citroën Total World Rally Team won in 2008 and Rally Finland promises to be a classic event as ever, taking in round of the WRC as well as the PWRC.
Rally Australia (2nd -6th September) – www.rallyaustralia.com
Returning after a three year break and leaving its traditional base of Western Australia, Rally Australia moves to New South Wales and will be staged in the Northern Rivers region of the state. We are promised that the stages will offer a selection of fast, flowing shire roads which will challenge the best international and local rally drivers in the Kyogle, Murwillumbah and Mullumbimby areas and will feature the FIA Junior’s as well.
Rally de España (1st - 4th October) - info.rallyracc.com
Returning for another year the 45th Movistar RallyRACC Catalunya-COSTA DAURADA / Rally de España is the penultimate round of the 2009 World Rally Championship, will be staged from 1st to 4th October and will be a round of the WRC as well as he PWRC
Wales Rally GB (21st -25th October) - www.walesrallygb.com
Moving from its traditional November / December slot Wales Rally GB moves to a late October slot. Wales Rally GB will be hosting final rounds of the WRC and JWRC.
Photos supplied courtesy of www.rallyemotions.net
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