The entry forms received by the organisers of the 50th Rallye International du Valais promise a strong field for this last round of the FIA European Rally Championship. Leading the standings, Giandomenico Basso (works Grande Punto Abarth S2000) atop of them. According to what happens in the penultimate round, the fight could be quite interesting in Wallis.

The maximum points available after the Elpa Rally in Greece (won by Basso) is 35, while the gap between first and second, Pole Michal Solowow (Peugeot 207 S2000), is only nine, Italian Corrado Fontana (Peugeot 207 S2000 and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX) being three points adrift.

For the record, bonus points taking into account each day's classification (3, 2, 1) come in addition to the standard scale applied to the first eight finishers. Should Basso get at least 10 points more than his rival at Rallye d'Antibes, he would be crowned before the start of the last event.

Other drivers will aim at doing well on the Swiss roads, such as Alessandro Bettega (Renault Clio R3), son of the late Attilio, who was a works Lancia driver in the World Rally Championship in the eighties. Thierry Neuville (Citroën C2 R2 Max) will also be at the start.

Coming from the German-speaking part of Belgium, this up and coming driver has shown what he was capable of recently at the Catalunya Rally where he was for the first time alongside a French-speaking codriver, Nicolas Klinger, long time partner of Nicolas Vouilloz, with whom he finished second at the Rallye du Valais last year.

Kris Princen and Eric Mauffrey are among the main contenders in the Clio R3 West European Trophy, where they lie respectively first and third. Also at the wheel of a Renault Clio R3, "Manu" Guigou appears in the applicants' list too.

As far as Switzerland is concerned, the national title is to be decided between Florian Gonon (Subaru Impreza) and Ivan Ballinari (who has been seen this year in a Renault Clio group A, a Skoda Fabia S2000 and a Peugeot 207 S2000).

Eight times winner on his home soil, Olivier Burri will be in a Grande Punto Abarth S2000 and Olivier Gillet will also be present in a group N4, while Hervé von Dach will drive a Peugeot 207 S2000. Jean-Philippe Radoux (Mitsubishi) is also expected to not miss this inescapable rendezvous.