Rally GB aims to make it easy for fans

Just seven forest stages will be used, but many will be run and then repeated on the same day, encouraging fans to find a preferred viewing spot and stay there.

The crowd-pleasing Cardiff Superspecial will now be used three times - as a curtain-raiser on the opening Thursday evening, and then as a day-closing spectacular on Friday and Saturday.

"The event has been planned with spectator safety and management first and foremost," said the rally's sporting manager Andrew Kellitt. "It allows us to make the best of our human and material resources in the most popular areas.

"A considerable amount of thought has gone into the timing of the rally, ensuring that spectators in the forest stages will be able to watch the leading cars in daylight."

The entry list has been limited to just 90 cars, restricting the number of British club drivers able to take part, but allowing the rally to be managed more efficiently.

The route for the rally, which runs from November 14-17, has still to be considered by the manufacturers contesting the WRC, but its final format is expected to be very similar to this proposed one.

The full story appears in this week's AUTOSPORT, which is on sale now.