Rally GB's brave new world

Richard Burns is in a tough title battle

By BBC Sport's Jonathan Legard

This year's Rally of Great Britain will hardly be uncharted territory for Richard Burns and his navigator Robert Reid.

The Subaru pair has been hard at work in the forests of South Wales almost since the day they returned from the controversial Rally of Australia, an event which has left them with an almighty mountain to climb in the world championship.

But for the thousands who will take to the hills to cheer them on, this Millennium event breaks new ground aplenty as rallying attempts to woo and wow a wider audience.

The success of Formula One's partnership with television has been the inspiration for change, with the aim of making rallies much more accessible both to the casual and committed fan.

Compact logistics

So out have gone rambling routes through all parts of the host country, different overnight halts and four-day rallies starting on Sundays - or any day organisers cared to choose.

Thirty years ago, when Rally HQ was Heathrow's Central Airport Hotel near London, the drivers had to last two stints of 36 hours with six hours off in between. Those who survived to the finish covered more than 2,300 miles, travelling through Scotland, the Lake District, Wales and the West Country for five days.

Now, with the backing of the FIA, motorsport's governing body, the emphasis is on shorter, more compact events, focused around one centre, lasting barely three days and playing live to television at least once, if not twice, along the way.

In short, welcome to the 2000 Rally of Great Britain, based in Cardiff for the first time.