The BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver Mikko Hirvonen has been gearing up for this weekend's Rally Poland by sitting in front of his TV.
Rally Poland is one of the oldest rallies in the world, but there are a lot of stages introduced this year.
Hirvonen, 28, seven points behind the World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Loeb, has spent his week watching DVDs of the new sections.
And his impressions - based on what he has seen from his sofa - are that conditions will be similar to those he grew up racing on.
"The stages look very fast and similar to Finland, but without as many crests as we get at home," he said.
"They are medium width and soft in places so they may cut up during the second pass.
"There has been a lot of rain in that area recently and the forecast for the rally suggests showers, so the sandy surface could turn very muddy if that is the case."
Loeb had won the first five rallies of the season to storm into the lead for the title, but Hirvonen's consistency is paying off.
Winning in Greece two weeks ago was his first victory of the year, but combined with the Frenchman crashing out, it was a result that put him right back in the frame.
"I'm back in the fight and the next two events, in Poland and Finland, are on fast gravel tracks that should suit me."
Loeb crashed in Greece as he was correcting a pace note while driving, it is a mistake he is keen not to repeat.
The Citroen driver is understandably keen to ensure his notes are correct from the start this time round.
"Without being overly obsessive about it, I have tried to understand what happened. It's only natural, because nobody wants to make the same mistake twice," he said.
"There was a place where I wanted to make a correction to my notes, and just after that I clipped the rock which sent us into a roll. I don't know whether I took my eye off the ball for a few tenths of a second.
"We will only be able to do two passes in recce here, so we will need to be particularly focused when making our pace notes.
"As usual, I will try to find the pace at which I feel the most comfortable to begin with, and then see where we stand compared with the opposition."
Sheikh Khalid al Qassimi, the Emirati driver who finished sixth in Greece two weeks ago, will not be competing for Ford this weekend. He will return for Rally Finland at the end of July.
lthornhill@thenational.ae
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Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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