Event notes
Rally Australia (round 10 of 12), September 3-6, 2009.

Surface: gravel

Host town: Kingscliff

Practical information: Rally HQ is in the Mantra building on SALT Beach at Gunnamatta Avenue in Kingscliff. The media centre is in Peppers SALT Resort and Spa on Bells Boulevard. The service park is located at Kingscliff sports field, 5km from Rally HQ. There is an eight-hour time difference between Australia (GMT +10) and central Europe (GMT +2). So when it is 20:00 in New South Wales, it is 12:00 in France. During the rally, the sun will rise at 05:55 and set at 17:35. The local currency is the Australian dollar (1 Euro = 1.70 Australian dollars).

Technical matters: The Citro๋n C4 WRCs will be equipped with engines that have to be used again in Spain then in Great Britain. For Rally Australia and Rally Great Britain, each car is allowed two gearboxes and two sets of differentials for the pair of rallies. Each car is also allowed a spare turbo on each rally. Steering racks and subframes will be sealed before the start of the event.

Tyres: The crews will each have 42 hard-compound Pirelli Scorpion WRC 265/65R15 tyres at their disposal for shakedown and the rally. Each car is allowed to carry two spare wheels but cutting the tyres is forbidden.

Recce: Tuesday, September 1 (7am until 5pm) and Wednesday, September 2 (9am until 7pm). Two passes per special stage. Depending on the stage, speed is limited to either 60, 70 or 80 kph unless local road signs indicate otherwise.

Shakedown: Thursday, September 3 (8am until 12 noon) at Dunloe Park, on a 3.29km stage which is 27km from the service park.

Press conference: Thursday, September 3 (1.30pm), media centre.

Start ceremony: A rally show will be held from 4.30pm at Murwillumbah.

Route: The total route length is 1,733.75km, including 344.72km divided into 35 special stages (16 different).

Day 1 – 573.42 km of which 106.79 km are competitive (15 stages, 7 different). Thursday 3 September. Start at 18:45 – SS1: Tweed 1 (2.55 km) – SS2: Tweed 2 (2.55 km) – Parc ferm้ at 19:48. Friday 4 September. Service A (05:30/15 min) – SS3: Kyogle 1 (7.32 km) – SS4: Repco 1 (8.36 km) – SS5: Kyogle 2 (7.32 km) – SS6: CTEK East 1 (11.33 km) – SS7: Mooball (5.85 km) – SS8: Kidney Health 1 (5.74 km) – SS9: Castrol Edge East 1 (6.85 km) – Regrouping (12:45/20 min) – Service B (13:05/30 min) – SS10: Castrol Edge East 2 (6.85 km) – SS11: CTEK East 2 (11.33 km) – SS12: Mooball 2 (5.85 km) – SS13: Kidney Health 2 (5.74 km) – SS14: Tweed 3 (2.55 km) – SS15: Tweed 4 (2.55 km) – Service C (19:25/45 min) – Last car into parc ferm้ at 22:15.

Day 2 - Saturday 5 September: 619.10 km of which 113.45 km are competitive (10 stages, 6 different). Service D (05:30/15 min) – SS16: Dayco 1 (20.31 km) – SS17: Bosch 1 (18.75 km) – SS18: Armor All 1 (8.20 km) – SS19: Urliup (5.24 km) – Regrouping (11:22/20 min) – Service E (11:42/30 min) – SS20: Armor All 2 (8.20 km) – SS21: CTEK West 1 (8.59 km) – SS22: Dayco 2 (20.31 km) – SS23: Bosch 2 (18.75 km) – SS24: Tweed 5 (2.55 km) – SS25: Tweed 6 (2.55 km) – Service F (20:10/45 min) – Last car into parc ferm้ at 23:00.

Day 3 - Sunday 6 September: 541.23 km of which 124.48 km are competitive (10 stages, 6 different). Service G (05:00/15 min) – SS26: Monroe 1 (7.14 km) – SS27: Castrol Edge West 1 (21.52 km) – SS28: Gondwana 1 (10.88 km) – SS29: Upper Clarence 1 (6.94 km) – SS30: CTEK West 2 (8.59 km) – Regrouping (10:02/15 min) – Service H (10:17/15 min) – SS31: Monroe 2 (7.40 km) – SS32: Castrol Edge West 2 (21.52 km) – SS33: Gondwana 2 (10.88 km) – SS34: Upper Clarence 2 (6.94 km) – SS35: Repco 2 (live TV) (22.41 km) – Service I (16:04/10 min) – Finish at 16:46.

Final podium: Sunday 6 September from 16:45.

Final press conference: Sunday 6 September at 17:30 in the media centre.

The crews before this rally:
S้bastien Loeb and Daniel Elena: WRC debut: Catalonia 1999 (Saxo Kit-Car, retired). WRC starts: 121. First WRC win: Germany 2002 (Xsara WRC). WRC wins: 52. WRC titles: 5 (2004 to 2008).

Dani Sordo: WRC debut: Catalonia 2003 (18th). WRC starts: 67. Junior title: 2005 (C2 S1600).

Marc Marti: WRC debut: Catalonia 1992 (21st). WRC starts: 133. Junior title: 2005 (C2 S1600).

The crews’ Rally Australia records before this year:
S้bastien Loeb and Daniel Elena: fifth participation: 2002 (7th, Xsara WRC), 2003 (2nd, Xsara WRC), 2004 (1st, Xsara WRC) and 2005 (retired, Xsara WRC).

Dani Sordo: second participation: 2006 (23rd, Xsara WRC).

Marc Marti: fourth participation: 1997 (17th, Seat Ibiza), 2003 (5th, Xsara WRC) and 2006 (23rd, Xsara WRC).

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