GUY Wilks will be putting thoughts of the championship to the back of his mind in this weekend's make-or-break Rally of Catalunya.

Wilks, from Darlington, is in second place in the Junior World Rally Championship and will have to rely on a major problem effecting leader Daniel Sordo.

Suzuki's Wilks sat out the penultimate round in Corsica and saw Citroen's Sordo grab a second-place finish which means he only has to finish in the top seven this weekend to lift the trophy.

This year's Catalunya Rally is very different to previous editions, as the headquarters has moved south to Tarragona after many years at Lloret de Mar. This means the stages are all new, apart from some that were last used several seasons ago. In any case, they are all new for the Junior World Championship drivers.

The headquarters may be different but the asphalt stages are largely similar in character to those that have been used in the past. The roads are generally wide, fast and flowing, with smooth asphalt that can be abrasive in places. Spain is the quickest asphalt rally of them all, so accurate pace notes are essential to describe the correct 'racing line' through all the fast corners.

The weather can change the character of the rally in an instant, as rain is a common occurrence in Catalunya at this time of year. Some of the stages are run in the mountains and the probability of rain increases at high altitude. The asphalt roads can become very slippery when wet and the Junior World Rally Championship cars have only two-wheel drive, which means that traction and grip is a critical factor.

Wilks completed a five-day test in Spain before the event, driving on roads similar to those they will encounter on the rally. Each driver drove for two-and-a-half days, and he feels extremely confident of a good result.

"I'll try not to think about the championship at all! I will just concentrate on trying to win the rally and then we will see what happens," he said. "The test and recce went well: the roads seem very interesting and they flow nicely.

"I think it will be quite a technical rally and it should suit our car. It is nice to drive on a completely new event. It will be exactly the same for everybody. Nobody will have an advantage in terms of experience."

* Max Mosley has been re-elected as president of world governing body the FIA, giving him a fourth consecutive term in office.

The Englishman, 65, first took on the role in 1991 and his return as president came as no surprise, with no other candidate standing against him.

Recent changes to FIA statutes force prospective candidates to nominate a cabinet of senior officials as well, making it harder for potential presidents to enter the contest in the first place.

Monaco's Michel Boeri remains president of the FIA senate while Italy's Marco Piccinini stays on as deputy president for sport.

The make-up of the FIA's world motorsport council was also announced yesterday, confirming Britain will retain a place.

Graham Stoker, a former member of the FIA's international court of appeal, takes over from John Grant as the representative of the Motor Sports Association, Britain's governing body.

MSA chief executive Colin Hilton said: ''It is important the UK is represented in the shaping of the sport."

Published: 29/10/2005