Zoom Basso will be aiming to shine at home

As well as being round eight of the IRC, the Sanremo Rally is also a round of the Italian Championship - which means that there will be a healthy contingent of local competitors to challenge the established order.

Abarth will field no fewer than five factory cars on their home event, with the Italian Championship team of Andrea Navarra and Renato Travaglia joining the regular IRC squad of Giandomenico Basso and Anton Alen.

A fifth factory Grande Punto will be driven by Umberto Scandola, who was fourth in Sanremo last year, while a privateer example is in the hands of 1994 World Rally Champion Didier Auriol: a former winner of the Sanremo Rally.

The first competitor off the ramp will be Peugeot Belgium's Nicolas Vouilloz, the current IRC series leader. He will face a number of challengers for victory: in particular Peugeot Italy driver Luca Rossetti, who won in Sanremo last year. Rossetti was forced to miss the previous round of the IRC in Spain due to Italian Championship commitments and he will be determined to make up for lost time.

Another candidate for victory will be Vouilloz's teammate Freddy Loix, who recently graduated to second overall in the points standings.

Mitsubishi will benefit from the experience of Paolo Andreucci, a frontrunner in the Sanremo Rally last year. If conditions are wet and slippery, Andreucci's Lancer will give him a distinct advantage and he is definitely a man to watch.

Volkwagen driver Bernd Casier put in a promising performance on his last outing at the Barum Rally Zlin with the Polo Super 2000, and the asphalt expert is hoping for a solid result around the twisty roads of Sanremo.

With Honda fielding a car for Alessandro Bettega, all five of the IRC's registered manufacturers will be represented in Italy this weekend.

All three of the IRC's tyre companies are competing against each other as well in Sanremo. BFGoodrich will supply their usual teams, whilst Pirelli's drivers include Andreucci and Bettega. Yokohama will supply tyres to Sandro Sottile, competing in a privateer Peugeot 207 S2000.

As always, the IRC 2WD Cup will be a hotly-contested category. Current series leader Marco Cavigioli is aiming to stretch a five-point advantage in the title race but his Fiat Grande Punto Diesel will have to overcome strong opposition.

A number of other Grande Punto Diesels from Turkey will contest the event including that of Yagiz Avci, who is currently second in the IRC 2WD Cup. There are also several quick local drivers in Super 1600 cars.