79 crews set to start the Rally de Espana - and a massive 27 in WRC cars.

The Rally RACC Catalunya Costa Daurada will feature 27 crews in World Rally Cars organisers confirmed recently - the highest number to date this year for a single of the World Rally Championship, beating the Rallye Deutschland by two.

In total 79 crews are due to start the twelfth round in the series, which runs from October 2-5. In addition to the usual 'works' entries there will be another 13 runners in privately entered WRC cars, including Andreas Mikkelsen, Mads Ostberg and 2008 Irish Tarmac champion, Eamonn Boland.

In the FIA Junior World Rally Championship all the regular crews have nominated this event. Spaniard Sergio Pérez will also be able to score J-WRC points and he will compete as a 'wild card' in a Citroen C2 S1600.

Of the remaining 34 runners, 17 will battle it out for the N4 win, including P-WRC front runner, Juho Hanninen, while 10 have opted to enter the Spanish round under the N3 class and seven will run in Group A (four in A7 and three in A6).

The notable entries are as follows:

1. Sebastien Loeb Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC M

2. Daniel Sordo Citroen Total WRT C4 WRC M

3. Mikko Hirvonen BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 M

4. Francois Duval BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 M

5. Petter Solberg Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 M

6. Chris Atkinson Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 M

7. Matthew Wilson Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 MT

8. Jari-Matti Latvala Stobart VK Ford Focus WRC 07 MT

9. Federico Villagra Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 07 MT

10. Henning Solberg Munchi's Ford Focus WRC 07 MT

11. Toni Gardemeister Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC M

12. Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki WRT SX4 WRC M

14. Khalid Al Qassimi BP Ford Abu Dhabi Focus RS WRC 08 A8

15. Brice Tirabassi Subaru WRT Impreza WRC 2008 A8

16. Urmo Aava PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC A8

17. Conrad Rautenbach PH Sport-Citroen C4 WRC A8

18. Andreas Mikkelsen Ramsport Ford Focus WRC 07 A8

19. Mads Ostberg Adapta Subaru WRC S12b A8

20. Mark van Eldik Subaru Impreza WRC S12 A8

21. Eamonn Boland Subaru Impreza WRC S12b A8

22. Peter Jr van Merksteijn Ford Focus RS WRC 06 A8

23. Gareth Jones Subaru Impreza WRC S12B A8

24. Peter van Merksteijn Ford Focus RS WRC 07 A8

25. Tim McNulty Subaru Impreza WRC S12b A8

31. Martin Prokop Citroen C2 S1600 J

32. Jaan Molder Suzuki Swift S1600 J

33. Aaron Burkart Citroen C2 S1600 J

34. Andrea Cortinovis Renault Clio S1600 J

35. Michal Kosciuszko Suzuki Swift S1600 J

37. Simone Bertolotti Renault Clio Sport CR R3 J

38. Francesco Fanari Citroen C2-R2 J

39. Stefano Albertini Renault Clio J

40. Milos Komljenovic Renault Clio R3 J

41. Patrik Sandell Renault Clio S1600 J

42. Sebastien Ogier Citroen C2 S1600 J

43. Florian Niegel Suzuki Swift S1600 J

44. Hans Weijs Jr Citroen C2-R2 Max J

45. Kevin Abbring Renault Clio RS R3 J

46. Shaun Gallagher Citroen C2 S1600 J

47. Gilles Schammel Renault Clio R3 J

48. Alessandro Bettega Renault Clio R3 J

59. Sergio Perez Citroen C2 S1600 J

61. Joan Olle Subaru Impreza WRC A8

62. Albert Orriols Peugeot 206 WRC A8

63. Gorka Apalantza Subaru Impreza S9 WRC A8

64. Juho Hanninen Mitsubishi Evo 9 N4

65. Yeray Lemes Mitsubishi Evo 9 N4

66. Jasper van den Heuvel Mitsubishi Evo 9 N4

67. Eyvind Brynildsen Mitsubishi Evo 9 N4

68. Henri Marc Venturini Renault Clio R3 A7

69. Luca Griotti Renault Clio 2.0. A7

70. Joan Balcells Renault Clio R3 A7