RALLY Australia’s stages have been passed as safe for 2017’s faster generation of World Rally Cars.

The Kennards Hire-backed event was officially launched in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday, the season-ending and potentially world championship-deciding event set to take place on a slightly changed route from recent years.

November’s rally will mark the first time 2017’s new era of World Rally Cars have competed on Australian soil, rule changes to of the cars compared to last year’s machines.

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In an ironic twist, those higher speeds have prompted safety concerns at several rallies this year. A stage was cancelled on Rally Sweden after cars clocked an average of almost 140km/h, while the championship’s fastest event, Rally Finland, opted to include chicanes in their quickest stages rather than risk forced cancellations.

However, Rally Australia organisers have confirmed that no such concerns are held over their event’s stages.

“We’ve looked at the speeds these new cars are attaining,” Wayne Kenny, Rally Australia CEO and Clerk of the Course, told members of the press at the launch.

“We believe we will still be within all the safety requirements of the FIA with the event.

“We’ve had (Australian former WRC star) 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.”

The fastest stage on last year’s event remains on this year’s schedule, albeit in a lengthened form.

The Settles Reverse stage, held on the final day of the 2016 event, saw Sebastien Ogier set an average speed of 120.6km/h through his second run on the stage.

This year’s event will now tackle the stage on the opening day. Rechristened Pilbara, 3.51km of new route added to the start of the stage, although the remaining 6.6km will remain intact. The stage will be run again in reverse on the final day.

Ogier rounds the hay bale on 2016’s Super Special Stage. Pic: Jeremy Rogers Source: Supplied

SUPER SPECIAL TO PROVIDE MORE BANG FOR BUCK FOR FANS

As reported in July, the popular Destination NSW Super Special Stage on the Coffs Harbour Jetty foreshore will remain on the schedule after making its debut last year. However, a few key changes have been made to its route to increase the spectacle and let trackside fans see more of the cars in action.

The start of the stage has been brought closer to the main spectator area and parallel with the finish line, while the hay-bale roundabout — which caught some top teams out last year — has been replaced by a small jump.

“They said it was too slow, so we’re trying to create a faster exhibition,” Kenny said. “It’s (still) like a roundabout where the cars will go over it but will get air when they go over the top of that, instead of going around a hay bale like they did last year.”

Eventual winner Andreas Mikkelsen hits the jump on last year’s Super Special Stage. Pic: Jeremy Rogers Source: Supplied

The cars will also complete two loops of the dirt part of the stage, taking them twice over the jump that produced stunning photos last year, before heading back around the berm towards the finish line.

“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,” Kenny said.

The trackside fans will also hear a famous voice over the PA commentary, with actor Shane Jacobson set to join the commentary team for both Friday and Saturday night runnings of the Super Special Stage.

Better known for his breakout role in Kenny and as a former host of Top Gear Australia, Jacobson has actually competed in a pair of Australian Rally Championship rounds at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.

The berm will return to this year’s Super Special Stage. Pic: Jeremy Rogers Source: Supplied

“I didn’t come first, didn’t come last, didn’t pick up trophy but did pick up a bug that has turned into a full blown virus. It’s called Rallyitis,” he said at the time.

“The only known cure is to race again. The only way this drug can be administered is by driving incredibly fast through a forest.”

A wide choice of daily and all-event tickets is available now from ticketek.com, priced from $39 for adults. Fans aged under 18 will be admitted free to the daytime forest and rural special stages.

Kennards Hire Rally Australia is the final round of the 2017 World Rally Championship and will be held around Coffs Harbour, NSW on November 16-19.