Repco Rally New Zealand is the oldest WRC event in the Southern Hemisphere and is renowned for its fast flowing gravel roads and the beautiful landscape of the country's North Island.

Blind crests, fast jumps, flat-out kinks and huge cambers make the roads more challenging than most, but their sweeping, undulating nature means most WRC drivers love them. When it's sunny, the stages can be glorious, but when it rains, they can turn muddy and extremely slippery. You need to be brave to do well in New Zealand but the high speeds mean the slightest mistake is punished severely. The challenging terrain rewards the drivers with the very best car control.

Since 2006 the rally has been based in the Waikato region of the country with its headquarters at the Mystery Creek Events Centre just south of Hamilton.

New for 2008

A new sponsor in Repco but a similar format to the 2007 event which led to the closest-ever finish in the history of the WRC. After over 350 competitive kilometres, only 0.3 seconds separated the winner Marcus Gronholm and second placed Sebastien Loeb.