Citroen has entered a third C3 World Rally Car, to be driven by Mads Ostberg, for Kennards Hire Rally Australia in a bid to bolster Sebastien Ogier’s title hopes.
Ogier is currently second in the championship at a 28-point deficit to Toyota’s Ott Tanak with two rounds remaining.
Citroen has run two cars, for Ogier and Esapekka Lappi, in the first dozen rounds of the season but the additional entry for Ostberg in Coffs Harbour is a strategic play.
With the Norwegian set to start the opening day in 11th on the road order, Ostberg has an opportunity to potentially take points off Tanak and give a position to Ogier, depending on how the rest of the rally plays out.
The WRC entry list for Rally Australia comprises 26 cars, including 12 in the top class and six in WRC2.
Hayden Paddon will finally get his first start in a World Rally Car this year, after a crash in testing ahead of Rally Finland and then a fourth position in the WRC2 Pro class with M-Sport last time out in Great Britain.
The New Zealander will again line up in an M-Sport Ford alongside co-driver John Kennard.
Hyundai will field Thierry Neuville, Dani Sordo, and Andreas Mikkelsen in Australia.
Rally de España is next up on October 25-27, where Ostberg will drive a C3 R5 in WRC2 Pro, with the season finale in Coffs Harbour on November 14-17.
Entry list: Round 14, Rally Australia
| Num | Team | Driver | Co-driver | Car | Group class | Priority | Elig |
| 1 | Citroen Total WRT | Sébastien OGIER | Julien INGRASSIA | Citroen C3 WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 2 | Citroen Total WRT | Mads OSTBERG | Torstein ERIKSEN | Citroen C3 WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | |
| 3 | M-Sport Ford World Rally Team | Teemu SUNINEN | Jarmo LEHTINEN | Ford Fiesta WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 4 | Citroen Total WRT | Esapekka LAPPI | Janne FERM | Citroen C3 WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 5 | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT | Kris MEEKE | Sebastian MARSHALL | Toyota Yaris WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 6 | Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team | Dani SORDO | Carlos DEL BARRIO | Hyundai I20 Coupe WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 8 | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT | Ott TÄNAK | Martin JÄRVEOJA | Toyota Yaris WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 10 | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT | Jari-Matti LATVALA | Miikka ANTTILA | Toyota Yaris WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 11 | Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team | Thierry NEUVILLE | Nicolas GILSOUL | Hyundai I20 Coupe WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 20 | M-Sport Ford World Rally Team | Hayden PADDON | John KENNARD | Ford Fiesta WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 33 | M-Sport Ford World Rally Team | Elfyn EVANS | Scott MARTIN | Ford Fiesta WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 89 | Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team | Andreas MIKKELSEN | Anders JAEGER | Hyundai I20 Coupe WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 | M |
| 21 | Skoda Motorsport | Jan KOPECKY | Pavel DRESLER | Skoda Fabia R5 Evo | RC2 R5 | P2P | WRC2Pro |
| 41 | Pierre-Louis Loubet | Pierre-Louis LOUBET | Vincent LANDAIS | Skoda Fabia R5 | RC2 R5 | P2 | WRC2 |
| 42 | Benito Guerra | Benito GUERRA | Jaime ZAPATA | Skoda Fabia R5 | RC2 R5 | P2 | WRC2 |
| 43 | Marco Bulacia Wilkinson | Marco BULACIA WILKINSON | Fabian CRETU | Skoda Fabia R5 | RC2 R5 | P2 | WRC2 |
| 44 | Fabio Andolfi | Fabio ANDOLFI | Simone SCATTOLIN | Skoda Fabia R5 | RC2 R5 | P2 | WRC2 |
| 45 | Gaurav Gill | Gaurav GILL | Glenn MACNEALL | Ford Fiesta R5 MkII | RC2 R5 | P2 | WRC2 |
| 71 | Neal Bates | Harry BATES | John MCCARTHY | Toyota Yaris Ap4 | ASN AP4 | ||
| 72 | Craig Brooks | Molly TAYLOR | Malcolm READ | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | ASN PRC | ||
| 73 | Neal Bates | Lewis BATES | Anthony MCLOUGHLIN | Toyota Yaris AP4 | ASN AP4 | ||
| 74 | Mike Young | Mike YOUNG | Scott BECKWITH | Peugeot 208 | ASN AP4 | ||
| 75 | Luke Anear | Luke ANEAR | Andy SARANDIS | Ford Fiesta R5 | RC2 R5 | ||
| 76 | John O’Dowd | John O’DOWD | Toni FEAVER | Skoda Fabia R5 | RC2 R5 | ||
| 77 | Super Alex Troop | Atsushi MASUMURA | Hideki TAKEYABU | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X | ASN NR4 | ||
| 78 | Martin Grigg | Martin GRIGG | Rachel MESSER | Ford Fiesta R5 | RC2 R5 |
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