1/03/06 22 Flash 4 days to go RACC Press • Tel.+34.93.495.50.29 www.rallyracc.com

Promoting safety, the RACC’s aim with the new route

Despite the short time between the last and the current edition, the RACC has made major changes to the route of the 42 RallyRACC Catalunya-Costa Daurada/Rally de España, to be held from 23 to 26 March. Thus, the inclusion of a completely new stage, such as the /La Palma d’Ebre stage (15.85 kms) is a response to the prevailing need to promote safety on the roads, avoiding the need to cover a special section four times and at the same time following the current regulations of the FIA as regards kilometres to be covered and servicing. The other novelty, the special called Duesaigües (11.50 kms), very close to the village of , actually the stage covered in opposite direction, has been chosen out of logistical reasons. Both stages will be raced during the second leg and twice, along with the special (28.33 kms), making up a very selective rally day. The opening leg of the rally will be made up by the stages (25.43 kms) and (24.14 kms), which will be covered twice, and (26.51) as well as Riudecanyes (11.60 kms), which have been moved to Leg 1, leaving for the decisive third day the two passages of - (22.43 kms) and (26.48 kms). The convenience and ease of access for the race caravan and fans to each of the stages has been an essential aspect in order to design the route, which will be made up by a total of 16 special stages, covering a total of 1,376.14 kms, 346.43 of which will be timed.

•Movistar, nine years sponsoring the RallyRACC

With the support of such a great sponsor as movistar, the RallyRACC Catalunya-Costa Daurada has found with no doubt a solid, technologically very important and, above all, faithful sponsor, who will be supporting the Spanish round of the WRC for the ninth time in a row in 2006. The 1997 season seems far off, and it was back then, when movistar and the RACC started the relationship that has been consolidating year after year with the aim of giving the race the necessary stability for its correct development. There are also other organisations and bodies that will be giving their inva- luable support to the 42 edition of the RallyRACC, such as the Town Council, PortAventura, the County Council, Würth and Seat, as well as the Official Chamber of Commerce, In- dustry and Navigation of Tarragona, the Cartographical Institute of , the publishing house Geoestel and Caves Freixenet.

•Spanish drivers playing leading roles

As expected, there have been a large number of Spanish entries in the 42 RallyRACC Catalunya- Costa Daurada, a total of 18 drivers. This is due to the RACC’s special effort to promote participa- tion, offering for the second year in a row a 50% discount on the entry fees for drivers having a Spanish license. Thus, one of the main attractions will be watching the evolution of three RACC ri- ders, namely Daniel Sordo, Xevi Pons and Dani Solà, at the wheel of their Citroën Xsara WRC. It will be an occasion for them to try to excel as they already did last year, where managed to take the Junior World Championship title in the race, with Xevi Pons finishing in an excellent fourth position and Dani Solà allowing himself the luxury of taking a scratch ahead of two-times world champion Sébastien Loeb. They will be joined by further 15 Spanish drivers who have entered the race, such as, for example Óscar Mascaró (Renault Clio S1600), Josep Basols (Opel Corsa S1600), Jordi Zurita (Seat Córdoba WRC), Joan Ollé (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII-Gr. A), Pedro Font (Peugeot 206 S1600), Albert Orriols ( STi) and Salvador Canals (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII), among others.