Rallye de France - Program

Rallye de France Alsace, the 11th round of the FIA World Rally Championship, takes the contenders back to full Tarmac for the second time this season.

Like 2012, the super special stage in the heart of Strasbourg kicks off the action on Thursday, preceding three full days of competition. On Friday the crews head out on the Bas-Rhin and Vosges roads and on Saturday just a remote service in Colmar splits the two identical loops of three stages in the Haut-Rhin. The longest day of the rally is then rounded off with the short 4.65 kilometre Mulhouse stage and this is also where the FIA Junior WRC Championship crews will conclude the competitive element of their event. The final day of competition on Sunday is the shortest and ends on the streets of Haguenau, birthplace of reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb.

The Frenchman has chosen his home round of the FIA World Rally Championship to say ‘au revoir’ to an outstanding career in the series, one that has netted him and co-driver Daniel Elena nine world titles. The duo will be back behind the wheel of the #1 Citroën DS3 WRC and pitted against Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, Championship leaders for Volkswagen Motorsport. For the third time this season, the pairing has the opportunity to claim the title on what is sure to be the most intensely-fought round of the year.

The FIA WRC 3 and WRC 2 contenders will also be action and, as the Championships head towards their conclusion, the true picture in the classifications will start to emerge.

CHANGES TO THE ROUTE SINCE 2012

The special stages for the 2013 event remain largely the same as 2012, with minor modifications on all but four of the stages. Uniquely, the Strasbourg Super Special Stage which opens the event on Thursday afternoon runs as the Power Stage, in which additional Championship points are awarded to the fastest three drivers. It is worth noting that these top three drivers must be in the Final Official Classification to retain the Power Stage points, and points will not be re-allocated if they are not classified.

RALLYE DE FRANCE-ALSACE

— Round: 11/13
— Base and service park: Zénith de Strasbourg
— Surface: Tarmac
— Weather: Central European climate, with average temperatures varying between 9°C and 16°C. Average rainfall is around 1.7mm.
— Sunrise and sunset on the first day of the rally: 7.31am/7.03pm
— Local time: GMT+1
— Currency: Local currency is the Euro.
— Website: www.rallyedefrance.com
— Technical information: Spare parts (gearbox, differentials, subframes, steering racks and turbochargers) are to be shared with Rally Deutschland.
— Tyres: 24 Michelin Pilot Sport tyres to be chosen from 24 hard compound and 20 soft compound tyres.
— Reconnaissance: Tuesday, 1 October from 7.30am to 6.50pm and Wednesday, 2 October from 9.30am to 10pm.
— Shakedown: Thursday, 3 October from 7.30am on a 3.80km-long stage in the Hautepierre district in Strasbourg (200m from the service park).
— Route: 20 special stages (11 different stages). 312.14km of timed sections. Total distance: 935.66km.

RALLYE DE FRANCE ITINERARY

THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER
7.30am: Shakedown
12.00pm: FIA Pre-Event Press Conference
3.50pm: Start
4.00pm: SS1 – Strasbourg Power Stage (4.55km)
4.33pm: Service A (Zénith – 15 min)
4.48pm: Parc ferme

FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER
8.15am: Service B (Zénith – 15 min)
9.18am: SS2 – Klevener 1 (10.66km)
9.50am: SS3 – Massif des Grands Crus 1 (13.04km)
10.50am: SS4 – Vosges – Pays d’Ormont 1 (34.34km)
1.22pm: Service C (Zénith – 30 min)
2.40pm: SS5 – Klevener 2 (10.66km)
3.12pm: SS6 – Massif des Grands Crus 2 (13.04km)
4.12pm: SS7 – Vosges – Pays d’Ormont 2 (34.34km)
6.15pm: Flexi Service D (Zénith – 45 min)

SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER
7.45am: Service E (Zénith – 15 min)
9.23am: SS8 – Hohlandsbourg – Firstplan 1 (28.48km)
10.06am: SS9 – Vallée de Munster 1 (16.73km)
10.54m: SS10 – Soultzeren – Pays Welche 1 (19.93km)
1.14pm: Service F (Colmar – 15 min)
1.57pm: SS11 – Hohlandsbourg – Firstplan 2 (28.48km)
2.40pm: SS12 – Vallée de Munster 2 (16.73km)
3.28pm: SS13 – Soultzeren – Pays Welche 2 (19.93km)
6.00pm: SS14 – Mulhouse (4.65km)
8.08pm: Flexi Service G (Zénith – 45 min)

SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER
7.50am: Service H (Zénith – 15 min)
9.23am: SS15 – Vignoble de Cleebourg 1 (14.60km)
10.45am: SS16 – Bischwiller – Gries 1 (7.95km)
11.18am: SS17 – Haguenau 1 (5.74km)
12.45pm: SS18 – Vignoble de Cleebourg 2 (14.60km)
2.08pm: SS19 – Bischwiller – Gries 2 (7.95km)
2.40pm: SS20 – Haguenau 2 (5.74km)
3.38pm: Service I (Strasbourg – 10 min)
4.30pm: FIA Post-Event Press Conference
5.00pm: Podium