Pirelli goes down under for Rally Australia challenge

After a two-year absence from the WRC calendar, Rally Australia is back with a new route, and looks to be one of the most interesting events of the 2009 Championship. Having left Perth and its expanse of red earth, the new race will be held on the east coast of the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales. The road surface is a mixed gravel track with stones, requiring Pirelli technicians to supply Scorpion hard compound variant tires to competitors for this event. The Scorpion Hard Compound rally tire was developed by the Italian Group to guarantee maximum performance and versatility on gravel tracks; it also fulfills the eco-compatibility requirements set by the organizer and the Australian government, known for being champions of environmentally-respectful products.  In fact, the Scorpion Rally tires use aromatic oil free compounds, in full support of the upcoming 2010 European legislation requiring more environmentally-friendly materials be utilized in tire manufacturing.