Motorsport: Kiwis get chances for top rally drive

Two New Zealand rally drivers will get a rare chance to compete on level terms in a world championship when Rally New Zealand is staged near Hamilton in November.

Local organisers will field two guest entries in the Production World Rally Championship, for which New Zealand is the final round.

Rally New Zealand has called for applications for the guest spots, which will have free entry worth about $7000, the chance to score points in the championship and the television exposure guaranteed to PWRC competitors.

Paul Mallard, general manager of Rally New Zealand, said selection would not be based solely on the national championship, but that would have a bearing on the choice.

In the past, local Group N competitors have outperformed PWRC entrants but have been denied the seeding and the publicity accorded to the class internationally.

More than a dozen registered entrants are expected in New Zealand, including the reigning champion, Toshi Arai, whose co-driver is Kiwi Tony Sircombe, and the points leader, Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar. Both drive Subarus.

Rally New Zealand is facing a critical year with a new venue at Mystery Creek, a late-season date, a revamped world championship in the offing and strong challenges from venues vying to get on the schedule.

One plus is that Aucklander Morrie Chandler remains interim head of the Rally Commission while the world body argues over a permanent appointment.

The premier World Rally Championship is at something of a low ebb, with barely a quorum of manufacturer entries and a runaway leader at the halfway point.

Sebastien Loeb, defending the title in what is supposed to be an outdated Citroen, has a 29-point lead over Ford's Marcus Gronholm after eight of the 16 rounds.

From New Zealand's point of view, it would be helpful if Loeb dropped out of the points in a couple of rounds so that there was a chance of the title being decided in Hamilton.

The next round in Germany looks more likely to add to Loeb's lead as he has won there for the past four years.

New Zealand is guaranteed 10 world rally cars from Ford, Subaru, Peugeot and Citroen with the possibility that Spaniard Daniel Sordo, a protege of Carlos Sainz, may drive an extra Citroen. Sordo has climbed to third in the driver standings.

Mallard is hoping for about 60 entries, half from overseas, and the organisers have cranked up efforts to boost the local content.

A scholarship is available for a woman driver, and automotive engineering schools are being offered free entry for cars they build to Group N specifications.

It is important that the rally is a success. Ireland, Jordan, Poland, Norway, South Africa and Portugal have each paid a non-returnable deposit of €100,000 ($206,000) to be new candidates for the championship, which is unlikely to be extended beyond its present 16 events.

Next year, a six or seven-event contest will be held from January to May, followed by a full championship from September to May 2008. New Zealand faces a battle to hold its place.