Follow Brundle's Rally with Autosport

'I get a lot of pleasure driving these cars,' said Brundle shortly after scrutineering. 'I drove for Toyota Team Europe at Le Mans, and I joked with team boss Ove Andersson that I'd like to do the British Rally again. The opportunity was there, and here I am.

'The car is great, the team very professional, and it is such a pleasure to be involved. But I have to keep my enthusiasm down a bit, because as a team it's their final event.'

Brundle crashed out in snow on his previous rally in 1996, but this time his co-driver is Arne Hertz, the most successful co-driver on the entry with five British event wins.

'I'm still getting used to Arne, but he is so calm, which is a great attitude for someone playing such a crucial role. I still find it strange having someone in the car with me, let alone driving to the notes. For me it's still a mechanical process, but I hope by day two that it will have become a more natural and instinctive one.'

Brundle has spent time as a passenger with team mates Sainz and Auriol, gaining some tips: 'Every time I get in a car with one of those guys, my respect for them increases. To be able to drive like they do on mud, with big drops on one side...

'We used to have an event call the Rallysprint which was four Grand Prix drivers versus four rally drivers. I got to know a few rally drivers them, and I liked their mentality!

'For me this event is a self-indulgence, and I hope maybe some racing folk will follow my progress and take a closer look at rallying than they normally would. It is a great sport.'

We will bring you a summary of Martin's diary at the end of each day here on autosport.com. For the full story, see the 25 November issue of Autosport magazine.