Meeke opts to start at the back

Rally Australia qualifying stage winner Kris Meeke has opted to start tomorrow’s opening leg last of the top priority drivers.

The Citroen DS3 pilot earned the right to choose his start position first by topping the qualifying times. He hopes to take advantage of the best road conditions by starting 10th when the opening leg leaves the Coffs Harbour base tomorrow morning.

His choice was predictable. A long dry period has left the gravel tracks dry and dusty. While the early starters face the unenviable task of sweeping loose stones from the surface, he should benefit from a cleaner and faster line.

Meeke’s only concern was the threat of hanging dust among the trees. However, organisers are considering extending the usual two minute gap between cars by an extra minute, as they did in qualifying, for safety reasons.

Sebastien Ogier, second in qualifying, will start immediately ahead of Meeke in his Volkswagen Polo R with Thierry Neuville’s Ford Fiesta RS ahead of the Frenchman. All the drivers after Meeke opted for the lowest position available.

Coffs Harbour resident Nathan Quinn will be first on the road on his debut in a Mini John Cooper Works.

The full start order is:

1. Nathan Quinn
2. Khalid Al Qassimi
3. Jari-Matti Latvala
4. Evgeny Novikov
5. Mikko Hirvonen
6. Andreas Mikkelsen
7. Mads Ostberg
8. Thierry Neuville
9. Sebastien Ogier
10 Kris Meeke