Corona Rally
Mexico

Mexico made an eagerly-awaited debut on the World Rally Championship schedule in 2004 and has quickly proved to be a popular addition to the calendar, with a compact series of well-organised, high-speed gravel stages through the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato mountains and plains around the cities of Guanajuato and Leon.

The high-altitude stages make for spectacular viewing as they climb over one peak, down through a flat, open valley and then back up a hill the other side. The altitude has downsides, though, as the engines struggle to breathe in the thin air and suffer a drop in power of about 20 percent. The road surface is dry and sandy, but rocks can get on the road, so drivers have to balance high speeds with caution.

All-in-all, Mexico is a great event for rallying fans. Leon - located about 400km north of Mexico City - is one of the more modern towns in the country, although there's still plenty of genuine local colour for tourists to drink in. On the subject of drinking, you just have to visit one of the local tequila-making establishments - it's a great way to learn more about everyone's favourite party drink, made from the agave cactus, before you lose your memory from partying to excess later that evening.

This year Corona Rally Mexico will feature a more condensed route of 850km, with 43 percent of the distance as competitive stages. The new route is the shortest in the history of the Mexican rally. Though it may still be winter in North America at the time of the event, the weather will be much warmer than the previous three rallies. Returning this year will be Leon's NEXTEL superspecial stage, a dual lane, 2.2 kilometer circuit located within the Leon Racetrack, a massive hit from 2006.

Recent Winners

2007 Sebastien Loeb (Citroen C4)
2006 Sebastien Loeb (Citroen Xsara)
2005 Petter Solberg (Subaru Impreza)
2004 Markko Martin (Ford Focus)