The 2005 FIA Word Rally Championships kicks off this weekend with the traditional season opener from Monte Carlo taking place from Friday 21st through to Sunday 22nd January 2005.
This year's Championships is set to be the best yet with a record number of manufacturers and competition for Sebastien Loeb's and Citroen's 2004 driver and constructor's titles respectively expected to be wide open.
For the first time, 2005 also sees the WRC teaming up with ITV Sport. They will be offering exclusive coverage to all the years' must see action so don't miss this year's first instalment from Monaco at 3.25pm on ITV1 on Sunday 22nd January.
As for the action, the closed season has brought more driver changes than usual, with Markko Martin joining Marcus Gronholm at Peugeot to provide them with the most successful driver line up in 2005. Along with Subaru, Mitsubishi and Ford, the Peugeot WRC 307 could well pose Citroen with the biggest threat to a third manufacturer's title on the trot and having finally ironed out the reliability issues which dogged it for most of last season, the 2005 version, which makes its debut in Monaco this weekend, is said to be a significant step forward. Team Skoda is also expected to feature this season.
British interest will focus on two up and coming stars, Kris Meeke and Guy Wilkes, who will be both be driving in this year's JWRC. Meeke's, Colin McRae's protégé, will race a Citroen and Wilkes, as the lead driver in the new Suzuki team, will spearhead their assault for the 2006 WRC campaign. Wilkes will also compete in the non JWRC rounds with a private team.
The Monte Carlo Rally is based in the Principality of Monaco although all of the competitive sections actually take place in France. New for 2005, however, is a single service area around the swimming pool complex of the famous Grand Prix track.
Following the traditional ceremonial start in front of the famous Casino on Thursday evening the rally begins properly on Friday with four stage including two runs over the longest stage of the event, the 32.71kms section between Lantosque and Col de Braus. Saturday's second leg includes five stages totalling 128.48kms while Sunday brings the event to a close with a further five stages including visits to the famous Col du Turini where rally fans gather in their thousands at the Col to cheer their heroes. The event finishes in Casino Square at approximately 3.30pm on Sunday 23rd January 2005.
For more information, please contact James Hunt or Jez Jowett at Cake on 020 7307 3100, james.hunt@cakemedia.com
For more information throughout the course of the weekend, please see www.wrc.com
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