After an action-packed round in Turkey where Sebastien Loeb surged ahead in his Citroen, the World Rally Championship (WRC) moved on to South America and the Cordoba region of Argentina, the rally presenting drivers with long slippery gravel stages at high altitude. The lack of oxygen causes a drop in power but at the end of the tribulations there is additional compensation in the form of huge steaks from the famous well-fed cattle of the Pampas. Amazingly, Carlos Sainz came in first, ahead of Loeb in a Citroen one-two finish with Francois Duval taking the third spot.

The next round was the fastest of the season. Known formerly as the Thousand Lakes rally, this is another event that is usually an all-Scandinavian affair. Rally Finland combines high speeds with ?yumps? over blind crests and with the huge crowds that turn up every year, drivers are left with little margin for error. True to tradition, it was a Scandinavian taking the top spot ? Gronholm in his Peugeot 307 ? followed by Markko Martin and Sainz, ahead of Loeb?s Citroen Xsara.

The event after Finland was Rally Deutschland and on offer were asphalt roads snaking through vineyards as well as surfaces more accustomed to, and broken up by, military tanks. Loeb was in his element here, and the Citroen made good time to finish 29 seconds ahead of the underrated and much improved Francois Duval and his Focus RS. Next in was Carlos Sainz ? never mind that veterans on the verge of retiring are not meant to be getting on the podium on such a regular basis.

Japan, which has always been represented in the WRC over the years by Subaru, Toyota and Mitsubishi, has never seen a round of the championship. That changed in 2004 as Hokkaido in northern Japan was the venue for the first ever Rally Japan. Also, the Japanese manufacturers got a chance to show off their rally cars in a WRC setting to the Japanese public and they were not disappointed ? Petter Solberg and Subaru managed to not only pip Citroen, Ford, Peugeot etc to the finish but Mitsubishi as well. Next in was Loeb, followed by Markko Martin.

After that foray to the Orient, it was back to the Occident and Britain for the Rally of Wales. No longer the last event of the year, September saw the rally subject to very different weather. Subaru has done well in Wales in the recent past and this time too, Solberg made it to the top step of the podium ahead of Loeb and Martin.

Italy next, but it was a change of scene from the asphalt of San Remo to the sandy gravel of Sardinia. Again, hunting grounds for Subaru from way back in 1994 and ten years later, Solberg did not disappoint. Loeb was two minutes behind him followed by that amazing Spaniard Sainz who obviously had no intention of retiring on a quiet note.

Still in Europe, it was France for the Tour de Corse and unnerving sheer drops coupled with twisty mountain roads with numerous surface changes. It was all down to tyre choice, nerves and dealing with the weather gods and at the end of it all, Markko Martin emerged victorious with Loeb second and Sainz third.

Lloret de Mar in Catalunya, Spain was the base for the Rally Catalunya. Wide asphalt roads meant high speeds again through sweeping corners like in a racing circuit which probably explains how formula car racer Stephane Sarrazin managed an overall fourth in a privately entered one-year- old Subaru Impreza. The top three though, were Markko Martin, Gronholm and Sainz (again!).

For the concluding event, the WRC moved Down Under. With Australia in the midst of summer, temperatures were high. The Western Australian road surface was tricky too, thanks to the ball-bearing type of red gravel, though it improves slightly after the first 10 cars have been through. Sebastien Loeb won again, ahead of Harri Rovanpera?s Pug 307 and Duval?s Focus, thus taking his points tally to 118 to take the title he had missed by a whisker last year. Petter Solberg managed 82 points to be second overall, ahead of Markko Martin, third with 79 points. Carlos Sainz retired from rallying having finished fourth but it could have been different had he not been laid low by a back injury that prevented him from starting Rally Australia. Citroen won the manufacturer?s title with 194 points ahead of Ford, Subaru, Peugeot and Mitsubishi at 143, 122, 101 and 17 points respectively. Watch out for 2005!

Favourite long drive

Shruti Seth, veejay

Though I don?t drive myself, I love going for long drives through some great locales with a good friend for company. Of course, the road must be good without potholes and the car must have a good suspension and grip.

Of all the road trips and drives I have been on, my favourite is the one down Mumbai?s Queen?s Necklace. Marine Drive, as it is commonly called, has the most fantastic view of the city. Starting from Nariman Point and ending at Chowpatty ? this drive is one of the best ones ever. The problem, however, is that Mumbai has endless traffic jams. So, the best time for this drive is at late night or during the monsoons.

I often visit Mount Abu and every time I am there, I make it a point to go for a drive down Abu Road. The road is beautiful and the drive excellent. The spectacular view is breathtaking and at this time of the year, green and lush. It?s so different from Mumbai?s concrete jungles, that it comes as a breath of fresh air to a Mumbaite like myself.