WRC Down Under: Rally Australia hits Perth

The Western Australia capital of Perth plays host to the World Rally Championship this weekend, with Telstra Rally Australia marking the end of a remarkable season.

Citroën and its newly-crowned world champion, Sébastien Loeb come to Australia having set new records for most wins in a season and largest number of consecutive wins and having already secured Loeb’s second world title and Citroën's third world manufacturer’s title in succession.

And with the manufacturer sitting out 2006 (to return under new regs with a C4-based car in 07) it could be excused for using the Australian event as an end of season junket.

Not so, says Citroën WRC team chief, Guy Fréquelin: "Our motivation is the same as ever; like any team involved in competition, we want to win,"

"Last year, after learning that our WRC program was going to be halted at the end of 2005, as well as being deeply affected by Carlos Sainz's accident during recce and his last-minute withdrawal from the event, the team still dug deep to clinch its seventh win of the season. This year, we travel to Perth with a freer mind and there is no reason why our approach should be any different. I would even go as far as to say that Rally Australia marks the beginning of our 2007 campaign, so it will also be case of building for the future!"

Citroën Total has sent two Xsara WRCs to Perth for its usual crews Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena and François Duval/Sven Smeets, while Team Kronos Racing -- the team Loeb will join in 2006 -- will run the privately-entered Xsaras of Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor and Xavier Pons/Carlos Del Barrio.

Perth plays host to the two principal centres of activity: the single service park in Langley Park (which sits on the Swan River), and the Gloucester Park trotting course, home of the 'Perth City Super Special' which drivers will contest no fewer than six times in total!

Another of the Australian round's famous hallmarks is the surface of its stages which feature small, marble-like stones that form an unstable top-coating. Their colour ranges from yellow to dark ochre, while their size varies between that of a garden pea to that of a playground marble. The combination of this loose surface, the high average speeds reached by the drivers and the proximity of the trees in the forest stages makes this one of the toughest challenges of the entire championship.

Win two wins on the trot before arriving in Australia, Loeb will be, once again, in his familiar role of road sweeper – number one on the road, and ‘ball bearings’.

"These past two years, running first on the road has been less of a handicap because of rain prior to the start," explains Loeb.

"There are a number of different scenarios which can vary from stage to stage. At times, you have to cut a line through the famous top-coating of marbles, at others you come across clear lines left by the cars during recce. But even then, it is difficult to stick to them when you're pushing hard. The split times show that we take a hiding but there is nothing we can do about it. For sure, it's irritating,” Loeb said.

Rally Australia is likely to move from Perth in years to come, however, it has been confirmed the event will remain in the west for 2006 at least.

The event kicks off with two runs through the super special stage at Gloucester Park  on the evening of Thursday November 10. Friday, crews head south for the first of the day’s seven forest stages before returning to the city for another two runs around the super special stage.

Saturday’s leg includes another seven stages and 122.34 competitive kilometres, the day again being rounded off with the final two stages at Gloucester Park. This day is characterised by the famous roads in the Sotico complex, where high-speed jumps over fast downhill sections provide some of the most spectacular action of the season.

On Sunday, roads to the east of Perth will host the closing kilometres of competition, the two identical loops of three stages covering 103.32 competitive kilometres. In total, Rally Australia takes in 26 stages and 355.39 competitive kilometres in a total distance of 1,345.4km.