We start the rally in the vineyard region, and like most this stage is narrow and dirty with lots of gravel by the side of the road. There is a fast uphill section where you can really see a difference in engine power. The stage moves from main road to side road and then back again so it gives a real difference in grip and character. The real issue with this rally is the way the grip differs during each stage. Sometimes it's really old and shiny tarmac, sometimes it's new, and they have very different grip characteristics.

Here there are lots of long straights and sharp braking for tight corners as you go from main roads to the region's smaller side roads. As we're running through the vineyards it's difficult to find the right lines and enough grip. The new 5.52km section of the stage is completely different though; it is the only section that is really flowing and very fast.

The most difficult stage of the rally, it is narrow and braking is tricky because you cannot see far through each corner, making it difficult to judge. Like Grafschaft Veldenz, it is flowing and fast, but the road is difficult to read and making pace notes is very hard. It is perhaps the dirtiest stage of the rally as there are lots of places where the tractors are working in the vineyards. On the recce it is ok at 80km/h, but at full speed it becomes very different!

The start of leg two, this is a relatively short stage that is identical to 2006. The only difference is that last year this stage was the last of the rally, so this time round we will be pushing harder as overall positions will be far from decided. There's nothing about this stage that sticks out in particular, but it takes us into the Baumholder military sections so is a good introduction to the day.

Bosenberg is very fast and you have to be very careful if it rains as grip will be significantly reduced. With trees right next to the road you have to drive with caution as there is no room for error.

This is a strange stage as there are practically no spectators there because it's a military area and access is very restricted. The stage loops back on itself in places so you can see the dust from the other cars on the road, but I quite like it - it's dirty and bumpy and if you start early on the road you have to concentrate hard as, unlike the other stages, the road gets cleaner every time a car goes through.

This is in the same Baumholder military area as Erzweiler, but the road is quite different. It's difficult to get a rhythm here as there are straights followed by tight 90 degree bends, but you have to stay on the correct line as there is lots of dirt and gravel off road.

After the new superspecial stage, this is the shortest of the rally. Exactly the same as we used last year, the route is mostly uphill with lots of tight hairpins which pass between walls. It helps when the stages are the same as before, but we still have to reconsider pace notes as the road surface could have changed in sections, and there can be many subtle differences to grip levels which affect speed and braking points.

We've done this stage before but in the opposite direction, and it's quite similar to stage three but not quite as difficult as you have more time between corners. There are many square junctions and you can't see very far in advance. The stage gets very dirty as there are many corners where the cars running ahead of you bring dirt and mud onto the road. It's definitely an advantage to be higher up the running order here, but we have the gravel crews which help a great deal.

If overall positions have been decided before starting this stage, then it will be fun to drive with no pressure, but if you have to fight for position you must be very neat as the roads in the town are narrow. With each car starting 15 seconds apart, it will be very busy. This will be great for spectators, but if the car in front has a problem it will be easy for us to lose time also. There is no mud and dirt on this stage, but the cobblestones in places will be slippery, especially if it rains.