IRC Rally Islas Canarias preview : The challenges

The waiting is over. Less than three months since Rallye Monte-Carlo hosted the thrilling start to Intercontinental Rally Challenge season five, the all-action series resumes with Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Ingles next week (14-16 April).

Based on the island of Gran Canaria, the third largest of the seven Canary Islands, the asphalt contest joined the IRC for the first time in 2010 and proved a hit with drivers and fans alike.

For its second appearance in the Eurosport-backed competition, event organisers have made a number of alterations to the competitive route with new stages, a return to the Gran Karting track in the south of the island for the first time since 2001, plus two tests run at night. Including stages after dark has resulted in a more compact itinerary with the competitive action contained within a 24-hour period.

This intensity will place a huge onus on driver fitness levels and car preparation and reliability, particularly as the island’s stages are renowned for their demanding nature. Although some of the new stages for 2011 are more tight and twisty, the fast and undulating roads that characterise the bulk of the route mean drivers will experience significant g-forces. At the same time they are often exerting tremendous strain on their cars as significant time can be gained braking as late as possible and accelerating out of the corners as early as possible.

With the stages frequently climbing and descending, drivers have to pay close attention to the speed they carry and the line they take for each corner to ensure optimum momentum is maintained at all times. That also makes precise car set-up and pacenote accuracy vital.

Ambient temperatures are high thanks to the Canary Islands being 100 kilometres off the coast of Morocco with a peak of 23 degrees centigrade expected. And with drivers not due to return to the overnight halt in Las Palmas until the early hours of Saturday morning prior to the restart at 07:30hrs, there is little opportunity for rest and recuperation.

One of the other notable features of the stages is the abrasive surface, which is partly constructed from a volcanic laver. It means grip levels are high and in the event of rain will remain constant, although tyre wear can be at a premium as a result. However, because there is little opportunity to take ‘cuts’ through corners, the road surface remains relatively clean and consistent and the risk of punctures is also reduced.

Following a ceremonial start at the service park in Las Palmas on Thursday evening, crews will tackle eight stages on Friday starting with the 1.50-kilometre blast at the Gran Karting track and including the Santa Lucia stage, which at 24.57 kilometres is the longest of the rally. The day’s action draws to a close with two night stages run to the south west of the service park. The first gets underway at 22:16hrs with the second following at 22:49hrs.

Saturday consists of two stages, each run twice with the first driver due to start the 23.42-kilometre San Mateo stage at 08:35hrs before arriving at the final service control in Las Palmas at 13:57hrs.