FIA World Rally Championship stars received their first taste of what to expect from next year’s all-new Rally Scotland after taking part in a fact-finding mission over the weekend.

A host of WRC regulars will swap Finland’s jumps for the forests of north-east Scotland this weekend, using the Voly Grampian Forest Rally to gather experience ahead of WRC Rally Scotland in 2027.

Takamoto Katsuta believes Finland’s jumps, compressions and unforgiving roadside hazards explain why the high-speed classic so often produces more drama than the superficially similar Rally Estonia.

Adrien Fourmaux felt he had the pace to fight for victory at Secto Rally Finland before torrential rain arrived at the worst possible moment and changed the game.

A blockbuster WRC2 line-up and Hayden Paddon’s first top-level gravel start since 2018 headline the 60-car entry list for ueno Rally del Paraguay from 27 - 30 August.

FIA European Rally Championship leader Teemu Suninen is playing down his prospects of back-to-back ERC victories when he makes his Barum Czech Rally Zlín debut this week (14 - 16 August).

Ahead Barum Czech Rally Zlín, the closest it gets to a home round of the FIA European Rally Championship, Slovakian Filip Šipoš, 25, answers FIAERC’s 10 questions.

Local hero Erik Cais plans to build on his top 10 finish in Poland last month when he contests his home round of the FIA European Rally Championship next week.

Casey Jay Coleman, Kalum Graffin, Petr Kačírek and Ville Vatanen will face-off for the ERC Fiesta Rally3 Trophy title on Barum Czech Rally Zlín next week with a Fiesta Rally2 prize drive up for grabs.

Lucas Zielinski will continue his FIA ERC3 title challenge after a new partner stepped forward.