IT’S ALMOST time to reach for a bobble hat, flask, maps and sturdy shoes. That’s right: the Welsh forests are about to be filled once again with the howl of World Rally Cars.November has long been a hallowed month for rally fans to make the trip to the famously difficult stages of Wales to cheer on the cream of the rally driving crop.
They navigate the tricky forests and connecting road sections that make up Wales Rally GB (13-16 November) and light up the night with their furious, flame-spitting off-road supercars.
The Players
Like last year, Volkswagen has been the dominant force in the championship to date, and great things are expected from 2013 World Champion Sebastien Ogier as he battles with teammates Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen, who has impressed in his first year in top-flight rallying.
Citroen, Ford and Hyundai all follow closely behind the VW winning machine, and there’s good news for British fans as both Citroen and Ford will be fielding a ‘local hero’ capable of fighting for a podium finish after three gruelling days on some of the best rally stages in the world.
Kris Meeke and Elfyn Evans might not be household names like Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, but their talents are outrageous.
Citroen driver Meeke is already familiar with the World Rally podium after a recent third place in France, while Ford driver Evans has impressed with his consistency, racking up regular points in his first full year of WRC competition.
Like Evans, Hyundai is also competing in its first year at the top. The dark horse of the championship could even be fighting for outright honours in Wales and it’s already won a rally, prompting many to reconsider the Korean firm’s chances for next year.
The Course
Alongside the drivers and the cars, the other stars of the event are the stages themselves. Competitors will do battle with the elements over three days and almost 200 stage miles, as they focus on 23 full-attack stints in mid and north Wales. And if that doesn’t sound tough enough, event organisers hope the two ‘night stages’ held on Saturday evening will be a hit with the camera-toting fans.
While die-hard rally enthusiasts will be front-and-centre for the night stages, the organisers have boosted the event’s appeal for families and casual spectators with the introduction of ‘RallyFest’ family-friendly stages. Both of them, with one each on Saturday and Sunday, mix fevered competition with easy access and entertainment for all ages.
And if you just want to get up close to the noise and theatre of the cars, the main service park in Deeside plus the start and finish locations in Eirias Park Stadium in Colwyn Bay and Mostyn Street in Llandudno respectively are free to enter.
The Inside Line
The event’s official website, www.walesrallygb.com, provides regular news updates as well as information on tickets, the full rally route, how to stay safe when watching track-side and regular competitions. You can purchase tickets for individual stages including RallyFests, and also event passes.
Wales Rally GB runs from Thursday November 13 to Sunday November 16. If you can’t get there, in-depth highlights will air on BT Sport over the course of the weekend.