Rally Ireland
The first elimination round of World Rally Championship season in 2009 was held in Ireland. It was the second edition of the rally. The first took place in 2007. In both in 2007 and 2009 Frenchman Sebastien Loeb was a winner on the Irish routes.
The rally base is located in Sligo (image above), a town in north-west Ireland. The curiosity is that the special stages run in Northern Ireland as well.
During the Rally Ireland drivers race on the asphalt trails. However, the narrow and winding roads in the mountains surrounding Sligo can cause trouble even to the best racing drivers.
Several parts of the route also run through narrow, rural roads which makes the ride difficult because of the lying mud. On this type of routes cars must be much better prepared than on smooth asphalt ones.
Preparation of a special setting is extremely difficult, but the experience of local drivers can be very helpful. Despite the WRC class drivers skills, they have one major asset - the knowledge of these routes, which may prove crucial in the fight for top positions.