The Cyprus Rally, round eight of the FIA European Rally Championship and round five of the Middle East Championship, starts on Friday at 1830 local time in Larnaca, in what could very well be the fastest Cyprus Rally ever held.
The crews will have to tackle 16 Special Stages, covering a total distance of 664.18 km, as well as a 6 km Super Special Stage, to be held for the second time in the centre of Nicosia, on Saturday, joining the divided capital.
The action will begin on Friday morning with the traditional shakedown and the Qualifying Stage (4.46 km), which is to take place at Agios Sozomenos just outside Nicosia. At 1830, all crews will line up on the coastal road of Finikoudes in Larnaca for a Ceremonial Start, after which the cars will return to the Service Park in Nicosia.
The real action will kick-off on Saturday morning on a day which includes a total of eight Special Stages. Specifically, crews will set off at 0630 from Park Ferme and will head to Kotsiatis for a 15.20 km stage. Next up will be Lythrodontas (22.00 km) and Lagia (10.34 km). The last morning stage will be Klavdia (11.42 km), after which the crews will head back to the Service Park for noon repairs, debriefing and a breather from all the morning action. At 1138 they will all head out again for the afternoon loop of all the stages that took place in the morning.
There will be a small difference between the two Saturday loops, however, in that the second loop will begin with Lythrodontas and continue with Lagia and Klavdia. The fourth Saturday afternoon stage will be none other than the Super Special Stage which will once again be hosted in the heart of the capital city of Nicosia. The SSS start is set for 1715 with the first car returning to the Service Park at 1821.
The Sunday action will start at 0800, with the remaining crews heading out to the pedal-to-the-metal stage in Geri (13.14 km) and then to Agia Marina (11.41 km). The third Sunday stage will be held in Kelia (09.93 km), with Tseri (13.17 km) concluding the morning loop. After the noon service, cars will head out to repeat the four stages. The scenic Finikoudes will then host the Ceremonial Finish at 1830, bringing this festival of speed to an end.