Sunshine Coast (Australia), June 19 (IANS): Team MRF drivers Gaurav Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) and European champion Jan Kopecky (Pavel Dresler), both in Skoda Fabia S2000, will resume their battle as the third round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) commences Friday with a ceremonial start in Caloundra.
Going into the International Rally of Queensland, the 2013 champion Gill and Kopecky are tied on points with 66 apiece. While Gill won the first round in New Zealand, Kopecky topped in New Caledonia.
After the ceremonial start Friday night, the rally runs Saturday and Sunday when the Special Stages, a mixture of fast flowing and sometimes twisty forestry roads, totalling 236.97 km will be run.
A revised itinerary has considerably reduced the amount of liaison distance this year with the majority of the stages being used twice and two stages being run three times. In all, there will be 16 Stages with the longest being 35.72 km in length.
Speaking of the two MRF drivers, team boss Lane Heenan said: "They're both extremely talented and competitive drivers. While Gaurav has done the Rally of Queensland several times before, this will be Jan's first. However, he has shown that he has the experience to win events first time out. So we're expecting another really close battle this weekend.
"We've never implied team orders in the past and won't be starting that this weekend. Both drivers will be itching to gain an advantage and will go for the win. It should be exciting to watch."
It was conditions similar to this which saw Gill's car needing repair after an off-road excursion in New Caledonia that saw him drop from first to second place by the end of the event.
Since that rally, Gill has been busy and last weekend won the Rally of Maharashtra, the first round of the FMSCI Indian Rally Championship.