This year's Dayinsure Wales Rally GB (4-7 October) will feature a new-look route.

The new look route is set to showcase more forest stages and venues in North Wales as event organisers is set overhaul the four-day itinerary to benefit both drivers and spectators.

Changes to Welsh Government laws facilitating closed-road motor sport in Wales has allowed International Motor Sports Ltd (IMS), organiser and promoter of Britain’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship, to make these changes.

While the final detailed route will not be released until be announced until next month organisers have released a sneak preview of what viewers and drivers can expect.

Tir Prince will once again hold the curtain raiser to the event on the Thursday night before Friday will see drivers take on the North Wales stages - many of which will take place in the Conwy county.

Many of the classic forest tests around Aberystwyth, which in recent years have been included in Friday’s schedule, will now feature as part of a jumbo "Super Saturday" bill in mid-Wales. The show then moves back to North Wales on the Sunday with a new Power Stage venue.

Rally managing director, Ben Taylor, said: "We are taking full advantage of this new legislation to deliver a fresh take on this thrilling event.

"The new WRC cars and Elfyn Evans’ historic victory brought us record crowds last year and we are expecting even bigger numbers in October. "Shifting the focus to north Wales is not only closer to cities such as Liverpool and Manchester but it also allows us to challenge the crews with some spectacular special stages that have never before been included on this rally.

“We won’t announce the final route until the middle of April, when tickets go on sale, but we know lots of people are already making their plans and booking hotels and other accommodation in the region, so it’s only right that we share the changes with them.”

Councillor Louise Emery, Conwy County Borough Council’s cabinet member for Economic Development, said: “We’re thrilled to once again be host county for this prestigious World Championship event.

"Even more so as the changes in the law by the Welsh Government is to the advantage of both visitors and competitors, so we’re very excited about this year’s itinerary."

Outline plans for a lengthened WRGB National Rally have also been confirmed allowing amateur crews to share the world championship spotlight. This autumn’s National Rally will run to a longer two-day format and will include all of the special stages on both Friday and Saturday.

After 85 miles of action on some of the world’s best forest tracks, the winners will be crowned on their return to the busy WRGB Rally Village late on Saturday afternoon.

And, as in 2017, those amateurs wanting to do the full four-day WRC event are able to do so.

Adding further appeal, this year’s event also features the concluding two rounds of the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship, the UK’s premier national series.

The final route for the 2018 Dayinsure Wales Rally GB – and the WRGB National Rally – will be announced in April when tickets go on sale.

Last year’s event attracted 103,438 visitors, a record since the rally moved to north Wales in 2013, and delivered £9.4m of economic benefit to the country.