Britain’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship will take over Wales this week, with the ceremonial start kicking the action off on Thursday evening in Llandudno.

Pirelli has a strong contingent of local and international stars taking part in both the main Wales Rally GB and in the Network Q WRGB National Rally. The National Rally runs alongside the WRC event and is open to local crews and it offers them a chance to sample the same stages as the WRC big boys.

Towards the sharp end is Irishman Sam Moffett, who will be driving a World Rally-spec Ford Fiesta RS. “The aim is always to finish as high up as we can,” he states. “We’re in the older spec car, with the Evolution 2 engine. But we’ll aim to try to push forwards.”

Sam is seeded alongside his brother Josh, who will be in an identical Fiesta RS WRC. “We’re both a big fan of the RX series Pirelli, the Tarmac tyre," said Sam. "I probably prefer Tarmac to gravel to be honest! I believe the Pirelli is one of the best gravel tyres so we’re confident ahead of this weekend.”

Once the ceremonial start has taken place, the stages will come alive on Friday morning. Spectators have a variety of locations to choose from, and there will be night stages on Saturday evening at Dyfnant and Aberhirnant.

Home Heroes: Pirelli's WRGB line-up: 22 Josh Moffett/John Rowan Ford Fiesta RS WRC 23 Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson Ford Fiesta RS WRC 39 Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari/Marshall Clarke Ford Fiesta RRC 67 Dean Raftery/Arthur Kierans Citroen DS 3 R3T 84 David Bogie/Kevin Rae Ford Fiesta R5 85 Jonathan Greer/Kirsty Riddick Citroen DS 3 R5 86 Richard Keen/Eirik Spilling Ford Fiesta R5 140 Rob Gill/Anders Howard Ford Fiesta R5 92 Robert Duggan/Gerard Conway Citroen DS 3 R3T 95 Sacha Kakad/Andrew Price Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10 96 Spencer Wilkinson/Jamie Edwards Subaru Impreza WRX STi 100 Tony Simpson/Ian Bevan Ford Fiesta ST