PERTH SECURES FINAL ROUND OF THE WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

 

The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) issued a press release on Tuesday confirming the 2004 World Rally Championship Calendar.

The news is positive for Telstra Rally Australia, which will be held from the 12-14 November, an envied position on the Calendar as the last round of the World Rally Championship.

“This is extremely good news, not only for the Event, but also for Western Australia”, said Richard Muirhead, Chief Executive Officer of the Western Australian Tourism Commission. “The tourism benefits will be enormous with teams, their families and spectators having the opportunity to extend their stay and enjoy what our state has to offer.”

The announcement of the Calendar came at a fitting time for Telstra Rally Australia organisers, who concluded another very successful event last weekend.

“Telstra Rally Australia 2003 was a huge success” stated General Manager, Bruce Robins. “Our feedback has been extremely positive, especially in regards to the new Super Special Stage at Gloucester Park and the Rally Villages at Mundaring and Dwellingup. We are lucky to have a dedicated team of staff and officials who all worked so hard to make the event what it is.”

The World Motor Sport Council also announced new changes to the World Rally Championship next year, including an increase to 16 rounds and a modified event format.

Clerk of Course Adrian Stafford said “Telstra Rally Australia is well equipped to work around any changes to the World Rally Championship. Our November placing on the calendar will provide near perfect conditions for the Rally. Teams have already expressed their excitement in returning to Perth for the final round and for the opportunity to stay on afterwards. The proposed new regulations will allow Telstra Rally Australia to return to the unique Australian atmosphere of previous rallies by visiting more local communities and areas of interest on each leg of the Event”

Despite many changes this year, Telstra Rally Australia has continued to uphold its reputation as a high quality round of the World Rally Championship. This latest news promises even better things to come.

www.rallyaustralia.com

Quality International Field For Telstra Rally Australia

13 August 2003, Perth Western Australia

The Official Entry List for this year’s Telstra Rally Australia has been published today with entries coming from over 17 nations.  The quality of the field is first class this year with a high number of Priority 1’s and four additional manufacturer supported entries.  The Official Entry List can be seen at www.rallyaustralia.com by clicking on the entry list tab.

The six WRC Manufacturers are all attending as one would expect, as well as some exciting non-manufacturer entries.  With the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships so close this year, Telstra Rally Australia is set to deliver some pulse-racing action!  Only 12 points separates first place and equal fifth place in the Drivers’ Championship and Peugeot are only leading the Manufacturers’ Championship by four points over French rivals Citroen.  Ford and Subaru are both on 60 points each in equal third position.

In the last three years, World Rally Champion Marcus Gronholm has won Telstra Rally Australia and no doubt he will be fired up to do it again after a disappointing result in Neste Rally Finland recently.

The guys to watch out for are the Production Car World Rally Drivers – where there are champions from around the world competing at TRA this year.  Japan’s favourite son and last year’s PWRC winner at Telstra Rally Australia, Toshihiro Arai, will no doubt give the others a run for their money.  Arai is leading the PCWRC by miles and is tipped to take the crown in 2003. 

There’ll be some fierce competition to stop Arai in his tracks. Malaysian champion Karamjit Singh, Sweden’s champion Stig Blomqvist, Spain’s hero and 2002 Junior WRC Champion Daniel Sola, Argentina’s champion Marco Ligato, Polish and European Champion Janusz Kulig, Peru’s champion Ramon Ferreyros, Brit Niall McShea and Italian champions Stefano Marrini and Riccardo Errani will all be battling hard not to let Arai win at TRA again.  The field of PWRC drivers contains indisputable driving talent from so many national champions.

The Australian Rally Championship is also a close battle this year.  The Subaru drivers Cody Crocker and local WA hero Dean Herridge are both performing well in the ARC, in first and third place respectively.  Both will look to better their positions with some valuable manufacturer’s points at TRA this year.  Juha Kangas, Australia’s adopted Finnish son, has had an impressive debut ARC season so far and sits in fifth position – he likes fast roads and Telstra Rally Australia is renowned for providing amongst the fastest stages in the WRC.

Eight times group N winner at TRA Ed Ordynski, who holds the most accolades out of all the current ARC drivers sits in second place in the Australian championship, in his Mitsubishi behind Cody Crocker’s Subaru .   Mitsubishi’s Spencer Lowndes is currently in sixth place.    Telstra Rally Australia counts towards the Australian Manufacturers Rally Championship so we can expect fierce competition between Subaru and Mitsubishi.

And lastly, a special mention of the three Australian Rally Heroes who have competed in every Telstra Rally Australia since its inception in 1988. 2003 will be the 16^th time Bob Whyatt, Tolley Challis, and Ed Ordynski will be part of the pulse racing action that will capture the undivided attention of every rally fan.

FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR DRIVERS

1. Richard BURNS Peugeot 49 points
2. Carlos SAINZ Citroen 44 points
3= Marcus GRONHOLM Peugeot 38points
3= Petter Solberg Subaru 38 points
5= Sebastien LOEB Citroen 37 points
5= Markko MARTIN Ford 37 points
7 Colin MCRAE Citroen 28 points
8. Tommi MAKINEN Subaru 18 points
9. Harri ROVANPERA Peugeot 16 points
10. Francois DUVAL Ford 11 points

FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MANUFACTURERS

1. Peugeot 101 points
2. Citroen 97 points
3. Ford 60 points
4. Subaru 60 points
5. Skoda 20 points
5. Hyundai 10 points

PCWRC POSITIONS AFTER ROUND 5

1. Toshihiro ARAI 30 points
2. Martin ROWE 27 points
3. Karamjit SINGH 22 points
4. Stig BLOMGVIST 21 points
5. Daniel SOLA 18 points
6. Marcos LIGATO 13 points

ARC N4 POSITIONS AFTER ROUND 5

1. Cody CROCKER 108 points
2. Ed ORDYNSKI 74 points
3. Simon EVANS 70 points
4. Juha KANGAS 58 points
5. Spencer LOWNDES 50 points
6. Dean HERRIDGE 50 points
7. Scott PEDDER 38 points
8. Mark THOMPSON 32 points
9. Mark PEDDER 38 points
10. Martin LINTOTT 10 points

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURES RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS

1. Subaru
2. Mitsubishi
3. Toyota