Next year's Catalunya Rally is likely to run with an even larger gravel content after the organizers received such positive feedback on last week's mixed-surface event.
The format for the 2010 rally was tweaked to reflect the 20th anniversary of Spain's round of the World Rally Championship, which actually ran with gravel and asphalt for the first two years. Such a success was the dirt last week, the 2011 edition is likely to be a 50:50 mix of asphalt and gravel.
"We are very pleased with the way it went," said clerk of the course Aman Barfull. "And we're looking to increase it [the gravel mileage] next year."
It is expected the first half of the event will run on the loose, with a one hour and 15 minute service at lunchtime on Saturday, before the crews move to asphalt on Saturday afternoon.
The new format for Catalunya was favored by all of the works pilots – even local hero Dani Sordo, who struggled on the gravel and was never able to recover to make the challenge for victory which had been expected.
"The gravel was fun, no?" said Sordo. "I liked it. OK, maybe it would have been better for me if it had stayed as tarmac, but it's good for the event to do something new."
Rally winner and Sordo's fellow Citroen driver Sebastien Loeb reflected those sentiments, adding: "It was good, but maybe now the gravel rallies should have some more tarmac in them!"
• Read the full interview with Aman Barfull here.