IRC Rally of Scotland preview : The challenges

Competitors in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge have negotiated a wide variety of terrain this season. From the ice-coated passes in the mountains above Monte Carlo to the rock-strewn gravel roads of Argentina, the battle for glory has been demanding and intense in equal measure with seven different drivers triumphing on the 10 events held so far.

RACMSA Rally of Scotland is the next stop on this thrilling global adventure and the prospects for an epic encounter are mouth watering with more than 10 pacesetting Super 2000 cars in action on the high-speed gravel forest roads around the event’s base in Perth in the centre of the country.

And just to add to the spectacle, Eurosport, Europe’s largest television sports channel and the IRC’s official media partner, will be showing four stages of the event live as part of a package of television coverage that totals almost 15 hours.

Billed as the best in the world by leading competitors who took part on the inaugural Rally of Scotland in November 2009, the stages run through closed-forest roads in the counties of Perth and Kinross and Stirlingshire and provide a huge challenge for the drivers. Blind crests, climbs and descents, sharp drops, tight junctions, off-camber corners and tree-lined straights all feature on the competitive route, which covers almost 200 kilometres over 12 stages and is likely to be subjected to changeable weather conditions.

However, the opening two tests on the night of Friday 15 October are somewhat tamer by comparison. Based in the grounds of Scone Palace, the historical home of the Stone of Destiny, the stone that kings and queens of Scotland were crowned upon, the stage, which is run twice in quick succession, is made up of a mixture of asphalt and gravel sections over a distance of 3.37 kilometres. It will give fans the chance to see rally cars in action in close proximity to Perth. Because the stage has more than doubled in length since 2009, it could have a greater bearing on the final classification this year.

Following a short early-morning service halt at Perth Airport, the real action begins with three stages located north-west of Perth on Saturday 16 October. They are each run twice and include two runs through the 17.68-kilometre Errochty stage, which will be shown live on Eurosport. The stage climbs over Cragan Liath Mor through Tummel Forest and emerges by the shores of Loch Tummel. It begins with several twisty corners and hairpins before a very fast and flowing blast over the hill top. Punctures are a possibility in this stage due to the extensive logging work that takes place in the area.

Sunday’s action is contained in the Lomond and Trossachs National Park south-west of Perth and begins with a new stage, Clashmore, which replaces Achray following recent access restrictions. The start is narrow and peppered with off-camber corners before it joins a new forest road, which takes in part of the infamous Loch Ard stage. With the final two-thirds of Clashmore using ultra-fast roads, drivers will need to be extremely brave and committed in order to set rapid times.

The rally concludes with the second of two runs through the Loch Ard Forest. The stage, which has been tweaked slightly for 2010 to include a new loop, is a mixture of flat-out sections over crests and tight hairpins. At 29.04 kilometres in length, it’s the longest of the rally. With the stage set to decide the outcome of the rally, viewers of Eurosport, who will be able to watch both runs live, will get the opportunity to witness all the drama unfold as it happens.

As well as counting as a round of the main IRC, Rally of Scotland will mark the 11th event of the season for the IRC 2WD Cup for crews in two-wheel drive machinery.

Rally of Scotland marks the fifth time this year that the Colin McRae IRC Flat Out Trophy will be presented. The award is handed to the most spectacular driver who best embodies the spirit of the Scottish hero and rallying legend on rounds of the IRC. Its recipient is chosen by a panel consisting of IRC’s Motorsport Development Manager Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Gilbert Roy, the Director of Editorial and Programme Development at Eurosport Events, and Jim McRae, Colin’s father.