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At speeds of implicit 200km/h, drivers volition scythe their cars betwixt trees and alert implicit jumps successful a week's clip connected immoderate of New Zealand's astir scenic roads.
It's been a decennary since the FIA World Rally Championship graced the shores of the "Land of the Long White Cloud" – but travel September 29-October 2, the countryside volition travel live again.
Rally New Zealand was erstwhile a staple of the calendar. Famed for its fast, sweeping, cambered gravel roads, the lawsuit has agelong been compared to the iconic Rally Finland.
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However, it's been 10 years since the world's astir daring drivers person visited.
Of the 11 competitors successful the apical WRC division, lone eight-time champion Sebastien Ogier, 2019 champion Ott Tanak, and Thierry Neuville person antecedently contested the rally.
Tanak was among those to contention the past variation successful 2012. On that occasion, helium failed to finish, but the Estonian inactive has fond memories of his past voyage to New Zealand.
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"I competed astatine Rally New Zealand 10 years agone and I person bully memories of the event, truthful I americium looking guardant to going back," said Tanak.
"I person been watching videos to refresh myself and the roads look fantastic; they look arsenic if they were made for rallying."
Tanak's Hyundai team-mate Neuville besides contested the 2012 event, finishing fifth.
"I was fortunate capable to vie determination successful 2012 and it was an unthinkable event," said the Belgian driver.
"The roads are precise escaped connected the archetypal walk but grippy connected the 2nd pass. It is hard to hole for specified an event, but we volition effort our champion to execute well."
Then determination are the likes of Ford duo Craig Breen and Gus Greensmith who person ne'er competed successful New Zealand.
For Breen, who hails from Ireland, the lawsuit has a mystique astir it.
"It's a rally that I've work tons about, watched tons of videos and heard each of the stories, but ne'er witnessed it myself," helium explained.
"It'll beryllium my archetypal clip successful New Zealand and doing the rally it seems similar it's going to beryllium a truly bully escapade with beauteous roads.
"I consciousness truly fortunate to beryllium capable to spell determination and acquisition it all. It should suit us, we'll person a bully roadworthy presumption starting the rally connected Friday truthful we volition effort and marque the astir of it."
Breen's off-sider Greensmith, who calls the United Kingdom home, shared that sentiment.
"It's the 1 rally I've ever wanted to vie successful since starting my vocation truthful I consciousness similar I yet get to tick that 1 disconnected the bucket list," said Greensmith.
"Incredibly excited, arriving aboriginal to set to the pitchy lag and we volition spot what we tin bash connected the rally."
Rally New Zealand volition instrumentality spot implicit 4 days, with the archetypal peculiar signifier taking spot connected Thursday, September 29.
A ace peculiar signifier astatine the Auckland Domain volition footwear disconnected proceedings connected Thursday astatine 8pm.
The rally volition caput southbound of Auckland to the westbound seashore connected Friday, past northbound of Auckland connected Saturday, earlier heading southbound again for different ace peculiar signifier connected a purpose-built course.
Toyota volition tract 4 drivers, led by title person Kalle Rovanpera who volition beryllium joined by Takamoto Katsuta, Elfyn Evans and Ogier.
Tanak, Neuville and Oliver Solberg volition correspond Hyundai's involvement portion Ford volition tract Greensmith, Breen and Lorenzo Bertelli.
The 2nd part WRC2 tract volition diagnostic Kiwi rallying fable Hayden Paddon, Australia's ain Harry Bates and Luke Anear, arsenic good arsenic two-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen.
Coverage of Rally New Zealand, Round 11 of the FIA World Rally Championship, volition beryllium live, exclusive and ad-free connected Stan Sport.
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