Shakedown: The rehearsal of the 56th RallyRACC, ready to go

13/10/2021

The 56th RallyRACC, eleventh and penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship, will begin this Thursday October 14th with the Shakedown, the usual test section that in this edition changes location from the area of Emprius, in Salou, to Coll de la Teixeta (4.13 km) on asphalt, a section that is part of the last special stage of the rally, which will also be the Power Stage (the stage that awards additional points to the top five) on Sunday 17th.

The novelty this year is that the 17 timed sections will be entirely on asphalt, eliminating the first dirt stage that was being disputed since 2010, following the guidelines set by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

The world championship arrives in Salou with Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia as provisional leaders in the drivers' and co-drivers' categories, respectively, so once again the Spanish event could proclaim the new World Champion. Should Ogier win, it would be his eighth world title and his second with Toyota after last year's, the previous ones having been with Volkswagen (2013-2016) and Ford (2017-2018). Elfyn Evans (Toyota) is second in the provisional standings followed by Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) and Ott Tänak (Hyundai), all of whom have won at least one rally this season.

The Shakedown will take place between 9am and 2.30pm. First (from 9am to 10.45am) the Priority 1 drivers will do their runs, followed by the rest of the Priority drivers (11am to 12.45pm) and finally the rest of the registered drivers (1pm to 2.30pm). In the afternoon, at 7 p.m. and on the podium located on the Passeig Jaume I in Salou, the start ceremony will take place before the first stage, which will be held on Friday the 15th.