Compared with two years ago, some 100km have been chopped off the Rallye de France-Alsace’s total competitive distance which is just 303.63km this week, making it the shortest round of the 2014 WRC.
Even so, the organisers have maintained the soul and challenge of their event thanks to a varied menu of fast, technically-demanding stages on the eastern and western slopes of the Vosges Mountains which are more predominant this time round than the Alsatian vineyards.
More than half the route has been modified compared with last October and there are four new stages (including ‘Pays Welche-Riquewihr’, SS10/13), plus a new loop on Sunday in the Saverne region, instead of the visit to Loeb’s home territory near Haguenau. Four other stages have been modified and only ‘Vosges-Pays d’Ormont’ (SS2/5, 34.34km) and ‘Soultzeren-Le Grand Hohnack’ (SS9/12, 19.93km) are unchanged.
Like every year since 2011, the French round will be based in the Zénith entertainment complex near Strasbourg (HQ, village/exhibition, service park), while super-stages in Strasbourg and Mulhouse (both preceded by autograph-signing sessions) remain on the programme. The European capital will also host Thursday evening’s start ceremony.
Although the 2014 Rallye de France-Alsace is the shortest of the championship, it has attracted the biggest entry to date, with almost 100 cars on the list, including 17 World Rally Cars, 10 R5s (Ford, Citroën, Peugeot), 11 Citroën DS3 R3s (J-WRC), two Porsche RGTs and the new Renault Clio R3T.
A particularly low entry fee for privateers (between €1,100 and €2,200) has attracted a strong field of amateurs from France, Belgium and Switzerland.
Both the WRC and J-WRC titles could be wrapped up by French drivers next Sunday.