Zoom A return to Forestry Commission roads

A draft route and itinerary for December's Wales Rally GB has now been submitted to the FIA and WRC Manufacturer teams for their comments and approval.

The Ceremonial Start on the evening of Thursday 4th and the Finish in the early afternoon on Sunday 7th will both be in Cardiff and for the fourth consecutive year Rally Headquarters and the “Cardiff Special Stage” will be in the Millennium Stadium.

The City and County of Swansea will host the Service Park in the prestigious SA1 Waterfront Development on the site first used last year. Thursday's Shakedown stage will again be in Penllergaer Forest, accessed by a Park and Ride service.

For the first time since 2000 the rally will return to Forestry Commission roads in mid Wales. Three stages will run during Day 1 on Friday 5th December and feature a dedicated spectator area. In addition there will be a number of new roads to increase the challenge for drivers and viewing opportunities for spectators.

Friday's competitive route will conclude with two short spectator stages in Walters Arena, normally part of the longer Rheola Forest stage. These will be run twice in quick succession.

During Saturday 6th December the traditional Halfway Forest and a shortened Crychan Forest stage near Llandovery will be run in the reverse direction to last year. The 1.1 kilometre special stage held inside the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff will again be the final stage of Saturday.

On Sunday 7th December the Rheola stage will be identical to last year and will incorporate the Walters Arena section that was used on the first day, but the roads will have been re-graded. The Port Talbot stage will be run in the reverse direction to last year.

© CAPSIS International