In our wrap-up article of WRC Rally d’italia Sardegna you may have noticed that dust, loose slippery gravel and rough rocky terrain are what make Rally d’italia Sardegna the spectacle it is.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

In all my time covering rally events (close to 7 years full-time) I have never come across a surface quite like this. Even drivers commented that the roads were not being ‘swept’. For the rally uneducated, drivers prefer to go out later on in the field, so all the loose gravel is swept off the road and they can maximise their grip by reaching the hard compacted surface underneath.

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When this didn’t occur because of the depth of loose material, it made life hard for everyone. Not to mention the large rocks and rough terrain! You can see this in the images – with rocks the size of footballs to cricket balls, it meant that no matter where you are on the road, there is a higher risk of damaging your tyres.

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WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Heat 1 of Rally d'italia Sardegna on stages east of Alghero.

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Having said that though, dust is what makes rally images exciting! Seeing perfect dust swirls as drivers slide into corners is what *really* makes a rally image.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

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WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Shakedown of Rally Italia Sardinia south of Alghero.

WRC competitors compete in Heat 3 of Rally d'Italia Sardegna.

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