The event began on Thursday evening with a short spectator stage, but the real action starts Friday with six forest stages on the agenda.
Drivers will tackle the stages in intense heat. One thing is certain: dust from the dry gravel roads will linger in the air, reducing visibility – especially since hardly any wind is expected.
Championship leader Elfyn Evans will suffer from running first on the road, sweeping loose gravel, but he won’t have to deal with dust as the first car. Other drivers, however, are in for a challenge.
Drivers had requested longer than a three-minute starting interval for Friday morning, but that request will not be granted.
“I think ten minutes would be nice,” joked Toyota’s Japanese star Takamoto Katsuta.
“I think everybody are pushing (for longer gaps), except Elfyn. But what I understood from the organisers is they cannot do it because of the itinerary issue. But this I don’t really understand. We have the same issue every year. We are asking for minutes, but one stage we sacrifice stupidly every time,” Katsuta scoffed.
According to Katsuta, the issue is primarily about driver safety.
“Then this year, they cannot do any more, even from one minute extent because of itinerary. For me this is a joke. It’s dangerous. It’s not because of our showing the speed – more because of safety,” he stressed.
The Japanese driver also raised concerns about spectator safety when drivers can’t clearly see the road due to dust.
“Spectators can be in random places. In straight people are thinking they are safe. But if you don’t see and you have slightly wrong angle, it can happen. People say you need to slow down then – yes, but our job is to go fast,” Katsuta emphasised.
Hyundai’s Ott Tänak agreed with his former teammate. The Estonian believes a three-minute gap is insufficient.
“On the shakedown the gap was just two minutes but it was fully open on the field. On Friday we go in the forest. There will be no chance.”
“It (longer gaps) was asked already before the rally, I guess, but let’s see if they’re interested.”
Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier knows well how serious dust can be for drivers. But he had another point in mind.
“In the other hand, it makes one driver (Evans) happy and in a way he deserves it. When you are walking your ass off to lead the championship at least it’s nice if sometimes you can compensate a little bit what you lose by cleaning the road,” Ogier quipped.
Ogier added that the situation might improve after Friday morning’s loop.
“We heard that after the first loop, it might be possible to get more gaps for the rest of the weekend because we also mentioned like Sunday morning might be very critical – new stages, a lot in the bushes and very, very dusty ground, very twisty. I think four minutes will even be a bit of an issue.”
