The event debuted a new evening showcase stage last November, with the cars running along the Jordan Esplanade in host city Coffs Harbour on the Friday and Saturday.

For this year’s Rally Australia the Super Special Stage will be altered to include a new ‘roundabout’ jump, along with a second loop in front of the spectator area to increase crowd exposure during each run.

“This year our start will be virtually opposite our flying finish last year,” said Clerk of Course Wayne Kenny.

“We've put together a new, we’ve called it a roundabout where the cars will go over it, but will get air when they go over the top of that. So instead of going around a hay bale like they did last year, they said it was too slow, we're trying to create a faster exhibition.

“The overall distance is about the same, but the spectators get more bang for their buck because they'll see the cars for much longer right in front of them. I’ll be very exciting.”

Stages approved for faster cars

The new-spec WRC cars have led to stages across the event needing to be approved by the FIA for higher speeds, a process that organisers are confident has been completed – with the help of former WRC driver Chris Atkinson.

“We've looked at the speeds these new cars are attaining,” added Kenny. “We believe we will still be within all the safety requirements of the FIA with the event.

“We've had Chris Atkinson come out and check out all our new stages and he has given them the tick. It's gone back to the FIA and they've approved them as well, so it's now just a matter of seeing how the actual new cars go.

“They're about 0.3s per kilometre quicker, so that certainly adds up over a period of time. Overall the cars will be absolutely sensational here.”

Free TV deal extended

The event has also confirmed that its free-to-air TV deal with the Nine Network in Australia has been extended.

That means the power stages won’t just be shown live domestically by pay TV provider Foxtel – the regular broadcaster of the WRC in Australia – but on one of the country’s primary free-to-air channels.

“The Channel Nine deal is excellent,” said Kenny.

“Last year, they were probably skeptical about what we could deliver and what we couldn't.

“They were very happy with the results of last year and that's helped us to cement the deal for this year.”