Canberra rally driver Adrian Coppin is set to take his experience from racing in Germany into the Australian round of the World Rally Championship.
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Coppin has his sights set on an overall victory in the WRC3 class, but will have to survive three brutal days of competition and more than 350 kilometres of high-octane racing at the Rally Australia around the Coffs Coast in NSW, starting on Friday.
Strong performances in his Citroen in the recently completed round in Germany has the 28-year-old confident he can match it with some of the best up-and-coming drivers in the world.
Points in the Australian Rally Championship are also up for grabs as Coppin looks to consolidate his lead in the penultimate round.
"To do two world championship rounds back-to-back is very exciting," Coppin said.
"I want to have a strong showing for Citroen on our home event in front of the world guys.
"A WRC class win is the goal and I don't think it's unrealistic.
"It's three long days of competition, I've got to manage the pace a bit because it's 350 kilometres of competitive rallying.
"You've got to get the car to the finish without doing too much damage, but still have to have consistent pace."
Coppin showed he has what it takes to compete at the elite level with an impressive seventh placed finish overall in his class in Germany.
The trip cost him about $60,000, with money provided out of his own pocket along with contributions from family members and sponsors.
The next goal is securing a permanent drive in the WRC, but that will require substantial funding from Citroen.
"The plan will be to see if we can get back there next year," Coppin said.
"There's an opportunity to maybe do some smaller rounds, not world championship rounds, in Europe later in the year.
"But it will come down to what deal we can put together."
His immediate assignment is adjusting from the all-bitumen surfaces in Germany to the ever-changing conditions on the Coffs Coast.
Dirt stages in Tuckers Nob State Forest and Newry State Forest on Friday are followed by exciting super stages under lights at the Coffs International Stadium on Friday and Saturday nights.
Rounding off the rally is the popular 28-kilometre Shipmans stage at the Wedding Bells State Forest, north of Coffs Harbour.
"Speaking with the other drivers we reckon it is one of the toughest because it's got so many characteristics of roads," Coppin said.
"Friday's stages are very technical, tight and twisty, whereas Saturday's stages are open, fast and flowing, and then Sunday is a sort of a mix of both.
"You don't really get into a rhythm.
"Coming from Germany with the changing conditions it's a similar headspace for me to not get too much of a routine because things are always changing."
