Autosportfoto

Mexico 2018 route revealed

Organisers of Rally Guanajuato Mexico [8 - 11 march 2018] have unveiled the route of next year's event, and confirmed changes to the opening ceremony and closing stage.

As revealed on wrc.com last month, 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.

Zdroj: wrc.com