Letters/comment/what’s On

A refreshed route will greet the World Rally Championship’s finest this weekend

It is time to unpack the thermals and head for Wales for the annual trip to see the best in the business thread their way through some of the toughest tests this island has to offer. And make no mistake, this year’s contest is going to be one of the most intense on these shores for several years.

There is no one car and driver combination which is disappearing up the road this year. There are three men going hammer-and-tongs at it for the world championship, and all of them are able to head into this weekend’s event in with a decent claim that they will be the man with the ultimate pace. All bets are off.

One of them in the hunt is certainly Sebastien Ogier in the M-sport Ford Fiesta, one of his last appearances with the Cumbrian team. His choice of Citroen for 2019 is one that was something of a surprise in terms of its current level of competitiveness, and it is a real kick in the teeth for Malcolm Wilson. If Ford had listened to his pleas for help, then this would never have happened. It means the landscape of the WRC will look very different indeed in 2019. Matt James, Editor (Twitter: @Mattjmnews)