2013 - WRC Rally Australia - Preview

10.09.13

 

Rally Australia, the 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship, incorporates a number of new features since the event last ran in the series in 2011.

Coffs Harbour, located midway between Sydney and Brisbane, once again plays host to the event but a new location for the service park and super special stage in town will increase the spectacle for fans. The organiser has also included a 49.90 kilometre stage by linking two previous stages, providing a massive challenge for the crews on Saturday. In all, new stages and shorter road sections will provide a much more compact route.

The fight for the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship titles will also continue down under. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia had their first taste of potential title success at the last round in Germany until suspension damage put them out of the frame. In Australia, the Frenchmen need to extend their lead to 84 points or more to be sure of the title. The battle in the Manufacturers’ Championship also continues between Volkswagen Motorsport and the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team.

Aside from the WRC contenders, nine crews from the FIA WRC 2 Championship have nominated Australia as one of their points-scoring rounds.
  
RALLY AUSTRALIA – ROUTE GRAPHICS
   
2013-australia-map.jpg
 
CHANGES TO THE ROUTE SINCE 2011

The 2013 Rally Australia route mixes old with new and six of the nine individual stages are classified as new. Just one stage remains exactly the same (Valla) while the two other stages have modifications since the event last ran in 2011.
 
RALLY DATA

Total distance:
Stage distance:
Number of stages:
932.77 km
352.36 km
22

MEDIA ACCREDITATION
 
The Accreditation Centre is located in the Media Centre in the Cavanbah Centre, 191 Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour. The opening hours are:

Tuesday 10 September  
Wednesday 11 September 
Thursday 12 September
14.00-18.00 hrs 
08.00-18.00 hrs 
08.00-12.00 hrs

RALLY AUSTRALIA TIMETABLE AND MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES ORGANISED BY THE FIA

Wednesday 11 September
Mandatory Photo briefing for national and rally by rally
photographers, Photographers’ Room

Thursday 12 September
Free Practice (P1 and P2 drivers)
Qualifying (P1 and P2 drivers)
Shakedown (other competitors)
FIA Press Conference, Press Room
Rally Show, Coffs Harbour Central Mall
Start Order Selection, Coffs Harbour Central Mall
Start and opening stages

Friday 13 September
First car arrives for mid-day service, re-group and Media Zone
First car arrives for re-group
End of day press conference, Service Park
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone

Saturday 14 September
First car arrives for mid-day service, re-group and Media Zone
First car arrives for re-group
End of day press conference, Service Park
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone

Sunday 15 September
First car arrives for mid-day service, re-group and Media Zone
First car arrives for final service and Media Zone
Prize-giving and podium ceremony, Brelsford Park
FIA Press Conference, Press Room
  
18:00 hrs
  


08:00-10:00 hrs
10:30 hrs
12:00-13:00 hrs
13:30 hrs
16:00-18:00 hrs
16:15 hrs
18:22 hrs

  
12:24 hrs
16:33 hrs
During the re-group
18:17 hrs
  
  
11:56 hrs
16:37 hrs
During the re-group
18:17 hrs
  
  
11:18 hrs
15:11 hrs
16:00 hrs
16:45 hrs

FIA PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

Thursday 12 September
 
 

 
 
 
 
Sunday 15 September
 

Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, FIA WRC 2 Championship
Hayden Paddon, FIA WRC 2 Championship
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Motorsport
Thierry Neuville, Qatar World Rally Team
Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Motorsport II
Kris Meeke, Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
  
Winning FIA WRC 2 Championship crew
Top three crews in the overall classification
Representative of the winning entrant

ADDITIONAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES 
 
‘Meet the Crews’: On Friday and Saturday the top three drivers will attend a ‘Meet the Crews’ session for media and fans. This will take place on the WRC Stage in the service park at the earliest opportunity during the re-group.

Autograph Signing Session: On Friday and Saturday selected crews will be available for a 15 minute autograph session. This will take place in the service park during the end of day 45 minute service at the teams’ service areas.
   
FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATIONS


The provisional classifications for all the WRC Championships can be found on the following link:

http://www.fia.com/championship/world-rally-championship/classifications-0

STAGE CHART

Shortly after the finish of the event on Sunday, a downloadable stage chart showing the progressive positions of the leading crews during the rally will be available. This is copyright free for editorial purposes and available at the following link:

http://www.fia.com/championship/world-rally-championship/2013/rally-australia-stage-chart