It was in Mexico, on February 29, 2008, that Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia got their first taste of WRC action. Eight years after that debut, the VW Polo R WRC/Michelin pair returns to Leon with three world titles to their name and hunting for a fourth straight win in the Sierra de Lobos.
True, the reigning champions are likely to be hindered by having to run first on the road on Friday and Saturday, but that’s a handicap they have overcome successfully every year here since 2013.
Norway’s Andreas Mikkelsen (VW/Michelin) and Mads Ostberg (Ford/Michelin), who are second and third in the provisional championship standings, will have a certain amount of road-sweeping to do, too. This will obviously help their chasers Hayden Paddon (Hyundai/Michelin), Dani Sordo (Hyundai/Michelin), Ott Tanak (Ford), etc.
Other beneficiaries will be Thierry Neuville (Hyundai/Michelin), who has always tended to go well in Mexico, and Jari-Matti Latvala (VW/Michelin) who has yet to score a point this season. Meanwhile, Eric Camilli (Ford/Michelin) will be looking to bounce back after two ‘offs’ since joining M-Sport. The Frenchman has switched back to his former co-driver Benjamin Veillas.
The entry features just 29 cars and this will be the first WRC round since 2002 that doesn’t include a Citroën or DS World Rally Car, because Abu Dhabi WRT has chosen not to contest the North American event.
Notable entries include Martin Prokop (Ford Fiesta RS WRC), who returns after his attempt at January’s Dakar, and local star Benito Guerra (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) who is making his annual appearance in the championship.
Following the late withdrawal of Nasser Al-Attiyah, the WRC2 favourite is Teemu Suninen (Skoda/Michelin), but Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (Ford/Michelin), Nicolas Fuchs (Ford/Michelin) and Mexican Ricardo Trivino (Ford) all know this rally well.
Rally Mexico proposes its trademark compact format based in the country’s leather goods capital Leon. After the usual colourful start ceremony in Guanajuato, crews face a menu that features one long stage per day, namely El Chocolate (54.21km), Otates (42.62km) and Sunday’s Guanajuato (80km).
The latter will be the WRC’s longest stage (Safari Rally not included) since an 83.16km test on the 1986 Tour de Corse. The final day’s marathon is going to be a huge test for the crews, as well as for their cars and Michelin LTX Force H4 tyres.