Organizers of Rally Mexico [8 – 11 march 2018] have unveiled the route of next year’s event, and confirmed changes to the opening ceremony and closing stage.
Next year’s 15th anniversary event will revert back to a ceremonial start in the city of Guanajuato in central Mexico and will also feature a new Live TV Power Stage.
The rally will kick off on Thursday evening with a modified 2.5km stage that passes through the historic heart of the city amid a network of underground silver mine tunnels.
Competitors will complete this test before the opening ceremony in front of the iconic Alhóndiga de Granaditas building [pictured above].
The rally proper starts on Friday, when crews set off for the high-altitude dirt roads east of host city León.
Friday is the longest of the weekend with 155.15km of competition. A loop of three stages is driven twice, starting with the 26.05km Duarte – Derramadero. This is followed by a 31.44km version of El Chocolate (down from 54.9km in 2017) and the 17.23km Ortega. The day also features two 2.3km tests at León’s motor racing circuit [SSS Autodromo de Leon] and one pass through the 1.11km Street Stage next to the city’s service park.
Saturday starts with another loop of three stages; Guanajuatito (30.97km), Otates (26.37km) and the live TV El Brinco (9.98km). All are repeated after a mid-point service and before two more blasts around the race circuit and a final pass though the Leon Street stage.
Sunday’s final leg kicks off with the 24.32km Alfaro before a first pass through an 11.07km version of Las Minas. Las Minas is repeated as the live TV Power Stage, replacing last year’s Derramadero – the scene of Kris Meeke’s astonishing car park detour [see below].
The 22 stages cover 345.60km in a compact total route of 1,021.12km.
source: wrc.com
