Night stages return to Rally GB
Discussion
Health & Saftey in Wales will probably have kittens I suppose but it's good to have proper night stages back on a WRC rally. Always made for spectacular stages and sorts out the men from the supermen.
The Wales Rally GB, the final round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, could feature two night stages on the event this year, which runs from November 30 to December 2.
Although the idea is still subject to approval by the FIA, the sports governing body, it seems unlikely that it will be refused especially as the Rallye Monte Carlo opened with two night stages back in January. Currently the plan is to finish the first leg on Friday and all the ‘proper' running on Saturday with one test run in darkness.
The idea has already received the backing of Britain's Guy Wilks, who is competing in the WRC this year in a privately entered Ford Focus WRC, as well as taking in the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship with the Mitsubishi UK ‘works' team.
“This would be fantastic,” said Wilks. “The organisers should be credited for re-introducing what was once a feature of World Championship Rallies. Competitive driving in darkness is a challenge for both the driver and co-driver and provides great atmosphere for spectators.”
The route itself meanwhile will be pretty similar to that seen in 2006. The provisional three-day itinerary features three forest stages in the Vale of Neath on Friday, three stages on both Forestry Commission and Military roads north of Brecon on Saturday and two forest stages in Carmarthenshire on Sunday. With the exception of the Cardiff Special Stage inside the Millennium Stadium, all other timed stages will be run twice, on the same day.
The super special stage inside Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday December 1 will again include motorsport-themed entertainment prior to the first rally car starting the one kilometre timed test at 7 pm.
The final route and timetable is expected to be confirmed in June after consultation with the FIA and the registered manufacturer teams.
Crash.net said:
The Wales Rally GB, the final round in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship, could feature two night stages on the event this year, which runs from November 30 to December 2.
Although the idea is still subject to approval by the FIA, the sports governing body, it seems unlikely that it will be refused especially as the Rallye Monte Carlo opened with two night stages back in January. Currently the plan is to finish the first leg on Friday and all the ‘proper' running on Saturday with one test run in darkness.
The idea has already received the backing of Britain's Guy Wilks, who is competing in the WRC this year in a privately entered Ford Focus WRC, as well as taking in the 2007 Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship with the Mitsubishi UK ‘works' team.
“This would be fantastic,” said Wilks. “The organisers should be credited for re-introducing what was once a feature of World Championship Rallies. Competitive driving in darkness is a challenge for both the driver and co-driver and provides great atmosphere for spectators.”
The route itself meanwhile will be pretty similar to that seen in 2006. The provisional three-day itinerary features three forest stages in the Vale of Neath on Friday, three stages on both Forestry Commission and Military roads north of Brecon on Saturday and two forest stages in Carmarthenshire on Sunday. With the exception of the Cardiff Special Stage inside the Millennium Stadium, all other timed stages will be run twice, on the same day.
The super special stage inside Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday December 1 will again include motorsport-themed entertainment prior to the first rally car starting the one kilometre timed test at 7 pm.
The final route and timetable is expected to be confirmed in June after consultation with the FIA and the registered manufacturer teams.
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