PWRC
preview:
Rally
Guanajuato
Mexico

As well as hosting round three of the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia, the Leon-based contest marks the second event of the Production Car World Rally Championship season.

Five category regulars plus wildcard entrant Rodrigo Salgado will be in action on the mainly gravel event, which begins with the exciting stage through the streets of Guanajuato on Thursday evening.

Michal Kosciuszko (pictured) will take the start full of confidence following his impressive maiden PWRC victory on the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo in January. The Pole, who will pilot a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X for the Lotos Dynamic Rally Team, has competed in Mexico twice before and is a recognised gravel specialist.

Nicolas Fuchs returns to the PWRC for a second stint following a promising debut season in 2011. The multiple Peruvian champion, who begins his title campaign in Mexico, is a potential frontrunner at the wheel of the Lancer Evolution X he will share with new co-driver Fernando Mussano from Argentina.

Benito Guerra can count on the enthusiastic support from the local fans as he begins his programme on home soil. The Mexican has joined the Ralliart Italia operation, the same time that guided Armindo Araujo to back-to-back PWRC titles in 2009 and 2010, and will be a contender for victory.

Italian Gianluca Linari will also begin his PWRC campaign in Mexico after electing not to nominate Rallye Monte-Carlo as one of his six scoring rounds. Highly experienced, Linari has recruited countryman Nicola Arena to navigate him this season on board a Subaru Impreza, the car of choice for last year’s champion Hayden Paddon, who has switched to the Super 2000 World Rally Championship for 2012.

Swedish lady competitor Ramona Karlsson will make her PWRC debut in Mexico alongside long-term co-driver Miriam Walfridsson. With the PWRC not including a visit to Mexico last season Karlsson’s absence of stage knowledge is unlikely to count against her.