• Entries accepted from Friday 12 September - with 120 places available
• Reduced entry fees for drivers with cars up to 1.4 litres
• 756 Euro allowance towards tyre costs for amateur drivers entered in Class N4

The Cardiff-based event has, measured by the number of entries received, long been the most popular event in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and the organisers have again committed to giving both professional and amateur drivers, both from within the UK and overseas, the opportunity to enter Britain's biggest sporting event.

And while the rally will attract the fastest and most spectacular World Rally Cars it also encourages drivers with more modestly powered 1400cc cars to participate with a reduced entry fee of £1302.13 plus vat. The standard entry fee is £1,914 plus vat. The lower entry fee applies to classes N1 and A5 when the entry is made prior to the closing date of Friday 31st October.

In addition, the first 40 amateur drivers who submit their entry form and fee before the closing date will be guaranteed a place in the line-up which, this year, is expected to include at least 12 "Priority 1" manufacturer team drivers.

With the introduction of a Pirelli control tyre for this year's FIA World Rally Championship, the rally organisers will be providing 12 vouchers (four per day), each with a face value of 63 Euros, towards the purchase of tyres for non-priority drivers in 4WD Production cars entered in Class N4.

Several leading drivers have welcomed the return of the fast and flowing gravel roads in Hafren, Myherin and Sweet Lamb forests near Llangurig in Powys. Each of these famous special stages will be run twice and feature a mixture of classic rally routes as well as new sections, offering rally crews a refreshing change to the format of Friday's (December 5th) first full day of competition.

Matthew Wilson* (21) from Cumbria, the only British driver committed to all 15 rounds of the FIA WRC commented; "I think it will be fantastic to use the mid Wales stages this year and they are sure to provide even more excitement to the last round of the Championship which is looking likely to go right down the wire. The Wales Rally GB stages are amongst some of the best gravel tests in the WRC and for me personally it will be a great challenge to compete on these famous stages where, as I child, I watched some of the best drivers in the world do battle. Moving into a new area will also hopefully increase spectator numbers which will definitely help my home WRC event and it's always a wonderful feeling to see the Union Flags and the fans cheering on both myself and the British Stobart team." (www.stobartmotorsport.com/profile_matthew.asp)

For further information please contact John Horton, National Press Officer.
Telephone; 0121 378 2828. Mobile; 07778 282899. Email; wrgb@jhmm.co.uk

Notes to editors:
Copyright-free images from the 2007 Wales Rally GB can be downloaded from;  http://www.worldrallypics.com/walesrallygb

http://www.walesrallygb.com/ is the official website and provides regular news updates and a link to copyright-free images

Since its inception in 1932 the rally has been run 63 times; this year's event will be the 64th edition. Enforced stoppages have included World War 2, Suez Crisis (1957) and Foot and Mouth (1967).

Wales Rally GB is the British and final round of the 15-round FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). It is one of only four events that have retained their unbroken World Championship status since the WRC was established in 1973.

Cardiff first hosted the rally in 2000 and the Welsh Assembly Government has supported the event since 2003. The City and County of Swansea has provided the Service Park since 2001.

WRGB is the finale of the Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship (rounds six and seven) and the eighth and final round of the FIA Production World Rally Championship.

Wales Rally GB is held annually and is the UK's biggest motor sport event. It is organised and promoted by International Motor Sports Ltd (IMS), the commercial arm of the Berkshire-based Motor Sports Association (MSA), the governing body for all UK motor sport.

For 2008 Wales Rally GB has become the first round of the World Rally Championship to offset all its carbon emissions, including all spectator travel. The event has been awarded CarbonNeutral? event status, confirming that the event's carbon footprint is now 'net zero'.

Access to all 19 special stages is by ticket. Buy tickets in advance for the best value for money:

• by calling the ticket hotline on 0844 847 2251
• online via the official website: http://www.walesrallygb.com/
• or in person from Ticketline, 47 Westgate Street, Cardiff, CF10 1TL

Details on high quality hospitality packages can be obtained from Alyson Beach at Viking Hospitality, telephone: +44 (0)2920 766661 or e-mail: hospitality@walesrallygb.com

Note to Radio Stations:
During the rally, a free of charge Radio service - featuring both professional and amateur drivers - will be provided by Cardiff-based Lloyd Bell Productions. For details please contact either Sam Lloyd (07811 210170) or Rupert Bell (07774 463348) or email info@lloydbell.co.uk

Note to Picture Editors:
If you have drivers or co-drivers in your area taking part in on the event, copyright-free hi-res photographs will be available at the latest from Saturday 6th December onwards from: www.worldrallypics.com/walesrallygb