This time round, BFGoodrich's partners will have four types of tyre available: the soft compound A03 (which won in Belgium in the hands of Loix), the hard compound A11 (which took the spoils in Madeira and the Czech Republic), the M01 intermediate tyre (winner in Spain) and the W00 which is always competitive in the wet.

The Rallye Sanremo could well decide the IRC title chases, and will most probably serve to settle the outcome in the Italian Championship. A win for Luca Rossetti this weekend would hand him his first national crown and also rekindle his chances in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, towards which each driver's best seven results count at the end of the year.

Nicolas Vouilloz is in a strong position, but Rossetti, Loix and Basso will all need to start counting results. In the Manufacturers' championship, on the other hand, it seems very likely that Peugeot will retain the trophy for a second year.

© CAPSIS International