NEWS FROM WALES RALLY GB

Exciting plans for this year’s new-look Wales Rally GB, the UK’s season-ending round of the FIA World Rally Championship, have been announced today in Llandudno.

The move to a new base in North Wales was confirmed last month; now further details have been provided of a challenging new competitive route, the return of spectator stages aimed at delivering a full day’s top class family entertainment plus a more affordable and flexible ticketing structure.

NEW BASE; NEW ROUTE; NEW CHALLENGES; NEW APPEAL …

From its new base in Deeside, Flintshire, the 2013 Wales Rally GB will be won or lost over 24 competitive stages, more than half of which are either totally new or haven’t been featured in the World Championship since the Nineties. Adding to the challenge and spectacle, the opening three timed sections on Thursday evening will take place in darkness and some classic Welsh forest stages in Snowdonia will be reintroduced.

Making the event more attractive to the wider audience now within easy visiting distance of the rally, both Saturday’s and Sunday’s schedule will include a family-oriented ‘spectator stage’ designed to bring the breath-taking action closer to the public. Details of these two very accessible venues will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Providing a fitting finale not just to Wales Rally GB but also to the entire 2013 FIA World Rally Championship, the event will reach its climax with a blast around the Great Orme early on Sunday afternoon.

Sweet Lamb on Friday and the weekend’s two spectator stages will be designated RallyFest Stages providing day-long family entertainment for all ages. As well as seeing the WRC stars and cars in action twice, RallyFest Stages will include a big screen, catering village, public address commentary, special displays, a Rally Dome, on-stage shows as well as other attractions.

A completely revised ticketing offer has been revealed – the result of extensive customer research:

Adult admittance to individual forest stages reduced to £15* (from £20 in 2012).
Day Passes re-introduced providing multiple stage access for just £33*.
Extension of the ‘Kids for a Quid’ scheme to provide those aged between 9-15 years old with a four-day ticket giving access to all 24 stages for just £1*.
Children aged 8 and under admitted free.
Individual tickets for the RallyFest Stages priced at £25* with significant discounts available for families. The price for two adults and two children is £42* with an extra £1* for each additional child.
These remaining tickets will go on sale on Friday 7 June.

It was also announced that two shorter National Rallies would run alongside Wales Rally GB, offering amateur competitors the chance to compete on the same stages and use the same Service Park as the World Championship contenders, and that there will be a special deal for UK crews keen to enter the main international event.

* Terms and conditions apply to all ticket prices.