After a quick trip east from last weekend's event in Catalunya, the Subaru World Rally Team has arrived on the Mediterranean island of Corsica for the French round of the World Rally Championship.
Corsica, situated off the south-eastern coastline of France, is well known for its picturesque, unspoiled countryside, which is dominated by forests and mountains. On the abrasive asphalt road surface tyre wear is high, and the rally is amongst the most punishing of the year. The narrow roads hug the sides of the mountains, and drivers are often faced with sheer rock face on one side and steep drops on the other.
Absolute precision is crucial at this event. Similar to Catalunya, drivers need to adopt a clear racing line throughout the stage to carry speed through the corners. There is no margin for error and the concentration levels are at their highest as drivers wind their way through the 'Rally of 10,000 Corners'.
Characterised by the hard acceleration and heavy braking that comes with each twist and turn on the island roads, the g-forces generated are the highest in the championship.
The Corsican weather can be as dramatic as the landscape. Within an hour bright sunshine can give way to heavy rain as warm sea air meets the cool mountain breeze. There can be heavy localised showers – it's not unusual for drivers to leave the service park in dry conditions and come across rain at the stage start or during the stage, so weather crews have a very important role.
The 13th round of the World Rally Championship is based in Ajaccio, a port on the west coast of the island. This year's event will be busier than usual, including 16 special stages as opposed the 12 used last year, while more than half of the route will be completely new for all the crews.
The rally will also venture further south than in recent years, going as far as the city of Sartene, about 50km south of Ajaccio. Legs one and two will each feature six special stages, while Sunday's final leg includes just four.
The event kicks off with a ceremonial start at the Place Foch in Ajaccio on Thursday night, with the competitive action starting on Friday 12th October at 0838hrs with the 18.10km Monti Rossu – Pila Canale stage.
