New route for Telstra Rally Australia in 2003.

New regulations for the World Rally Championships in 2003 have created two bonuses for rally fans at Telstra Rally Australia, a new route and new single Service Park.

The new single Service Park requirements have created the need for a more compact rally route than at any other time in the 15 year history of the event, judged by many to be one of the best in the WRC.

"The needs of a modern WRC event are changing and the entire organising team at Telstra Rally Australia is working hard to ensure we embrace the changes and maintain the sporting challenge of the past," said Adrian Stafford, Telstra Rally Australia's Clerk of Course.

The 2003 event, held 4-7 September, is divided into three Legs [days] of competition which follow the Gala Start ceremony at the Super Special Stage in Perth on Thursday evening, September 4. Details on the exciting 2003 Super Special Stage will be released shortly, however fans cans still expect to see the two-car match racing that has made Telstra Rally Australia so popular around the world.

Leg one on the Friday heads straight into the Dwellingup pines for two superfast blasts through some of the most challenging roads in the event. These pine plantations have claimed some big scalps in previous Telstra Rally Australia events - none more spectacularly than the accident of Frenchman Francois Delacour last year when he left the road whilst in 6th gear on a long sweeping curve. The impact was so great the flaming engine flew from the car whilst still running.

The highlight of Leg one will be the new Dwellingup Rally Village located just 10 minutes south of Dwellingup and only a stone's throw from where the Delacour Mitsubishi came to rest last year. The route has been re-designed into cleared forest areas to give spectators at the Rally Village the chance to see the cars traverse numerous flat out straights and tight turns, all from the one vantage point. The Rally Village will offer various levels of spectating opportunities including fully catered groups in marquee structures.

After the Dwellingup stages the rally cars return to the Jarrahdale Service Park before the long haul down to the hugely popular Stirling Dam stages. The popular Stirling West spectator point has been expanded to offer better viewing and more convenient parking for spectators. After completing the Stirling stages and two all new special stages, the cars once again return to the Service Park before returning to tackle the same Dwellingup stages in a late afternoon challenge.

Leg Two on Saturday September 6 heads into the traditional Mundaring special stages, which have been re-configured around a new Mundaring Rally Village. Cars will pass the same location on two consecutive stages offering spectators double the action from any previous Mundaring stage. The first pass is high speed through tight forest conditions and on the return run, the cars launch out of a deep valley into a hand-brake tight right hander directly in front of the rally village.

After the first loop of the Mundaring stages, the cars return to Jarrahdale Service Park for repairs, fuel and new tyres before tackling a new Beraking stage and then back to the Mundaring Rally Village for a complete re-run of the earlier action.

Leg Three on Sunday September 7 returns to the now famous jumps and water splash at Sotico Plantation near Bannister along the Albany Highway. These stages have electrified spectators and TV audiences alike over the years. Many fans will never forget the high-flying Colin McRae leaping down the long series of jumps into the high speed water-filled right hander. In 2003 all the popular stages in the Sotico plantation are retained and the final stage of the event is now re-designed to start and finish within sight of the Village facilities inside the Sotico complex.

"I am very excited by the changes to the route for 2003, I think spectators will really enjoy the new Rally Villages in Dwellingup and Mundaring, plus the established spectacle at Sotico," said Stafford, "The drivers will also enjoy the challenges of some new roads and the continuation of some of their favourite Special Stages."