GB heads back to mid-Wales.

The organisers of the Wales Rally GB have announced that the draft route and itinerary for this year's event has now been submitted to the FIA and the WRC manufacturer teams for comments and approval.

Rally GB, which is the 15th and final round in this year's championship, will again begin and finish in Cardiff and for the fourth consecutive year the Rally headquarters and the 'Cardiff super special stage' will be in the Millennium Stadium.

The service park meanwhile stays in Swansea at the SA1 Waterfront Development, which was first used last year and which replaced Felindre.

The main change for this year however, concerns Friday's action and for the first time since 2000 the rally will return to Forestry Commission roads in mid-Wales.

"Three stages will run during day one 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," read a statement from the WRGB.

"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."

The route on days two and three is broadly the same although several tests will be run in the opposite direction to 2007.

"During Saturday December 6 the traditional Halfway Forest and a shortened Crychan Forest stage near Llandovery will be run in the reverse direction to last year," confirmed the organisers.

"The 1.1 kilometre special stage held inside the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff will again be the final stage on Saturday.

"On Sunday December 7 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."

Comprehensive details of the final route, timetable and stages, together with ticketing details will be announced, subject to all parties agreeing, at a formal launch in Cardiff on Wednesday June 4.