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Cowboy boots up for grabs.

After ice and snow in the Alps around Monte Carlo and in central Sweden's Värmland region, it's now time for the Volkswagen drivers to tackle the first gravel rally of the year, in Mexico. It won't just be the hot summer temperatures in the mountains around León, approximately 300 kilometres north of Mexico City, that will be in stark contrast to the first two events.

The route also frequently goes up to altitudes well in excess of 2,000 metres, which is tough not only on the human body - due to the air's lower oxygen content, the power output of the vehicles' turbocharged engines can drop by up to 30 per cent here too.

The winner will ultimately be crowned on gravel, but some of the 21 special stages are actually asphalt all the way, such as the opening Guanajuato Street Stage. Some 50,000 fans are expected to flock to the historic old town of Guanajuato to see the spectacle of rally cars racing through the city streets over a distance of just under a kilometre. And there is even some underground action, as the route also includes a stretch that goes through an old mine. This is then followed by a super special stage at a racetrack on the outskirts of León.

But the rally proper really only gets going on Friday, when the drivers will head up to altitudes of more than 2,000 metres in the Sierra de Lobos and the Sierra Guanajuato. The eye of the storm on Friday is the innocuous-sounding El Chocolate stage - but with a distance of more than 44 kilometres, this is anything but a treat for the competitors. The longest stage on Saturday, the Otates stage, is likewise more than 40 kilometres. Things then get even tougher still on Sunday with the mammoth 56-kilometre Guanajuatito stage, which is one of the longest stages the drivers will have to tackle all season.

Sébastien Ogier (Polo R WRC #1) doubts very much that he will be the proud recipient of the prize of cowboy boots for a third consecutive time here. "It's not possible to win in Mexico if you start out in front," says the current overall leader, commenting on the effects of the loose gravel on the tracks. Following a change to the rules, the reigning world champion will have to start ahead of the other entrants for almost all of the rally (approximately 320 of the 395 timed kilometres), and will therefore serve as their ‘road sweeper'.

"This year, poorer results in the first half of the year won't have quite such a dramatic impact as they did before," says Jari-Matti Latvala (Polo R WRC #2), analysing the new running order rules. He will be the fourth driver to set off in Rally Mexico, behind Andreas Mikkelsen in the third Polo R WRC (#9). "My starting position is therefore pretty much perfect," says Latvala, who is hoping for all the parameters to come together for him to clinch his first championship title this season. Mikkelsen is a hot tip for a win now too, with two third places in Monte Carlo and Sweden already under his belt. These two Volkswagen drivers would certainly be delighted to add a pair of original Mexican cowboy boots to their trophy collections.

"I cannot afford to make any more mistakes."  Statements from the Volkswagen team.
Statements from the Volkswagen team.

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
"I have won the first two rallies of the season, which is very reassuring for me. The pressure is definitely not on me, but those drivers behind me in the championship. As a driver, you gain extra confidence when you win a battle as close as the one between Andreas Mikkelsen, Thierry Neuville and me in Sweden. The past two rallies in Mexico have shown how comfortable I feel in Mexico. And in recent years our Volkswagen Polo R WRC has always coped superbly with the thin air at high altitude in Mexico. We can only wait and see whether the same is true in 2015 and our powerful engine can compensate for our early starting position."

Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
"I am looking forward to the Rally Mexico, as I have some amends to make and because, as the fourth-placed man in the World Championship, I have an ideal starting position. The starting position can be decisive at the first gravel rally of the year. My goal for Mexico is to close the gap to Thierry Neuville, Andreas and Sébastien as much as possible. I missed out on points in Sweden. However, that is part and parcel of this sport and not something I can do anything about now. I now have to look forward and make the best of the situation I find myself in. When you look back through the history books, most world champions have scored points at pretty much every race. As such, I cannot afford to make any more mistakes."

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
"At the moment, a lot of people are talking about how I missed out on victory at the Rally Sweden. To be honest, though, I moved on from that a long time ago. It was unquestionably very disappointing for me, as I came within touching distance of my maiden WRC win. However, I prefer to take the positives out of it and now travel to Mexico full of confidence. I am matching Seb and Jari-Matti for pace at the moment. That is important for me, and I will not be hiding behind anyone in Mexico. Furthermore, my third place in Sweden has had a pleasant knock-on effect: I start as the third car onto the route at the Rally Mexico, so will not have to do so much road sweeping."