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Here are some of the drivers' testimonies on the up & coming event.

Defending WRC Champion, Sebastien Loeb, says: "We don't know much about the Jordan Rally, so I will be on my guard a little bit," said Loeb. "It doesn't appear to be too tough on the cars, but running first on the road will be a handicap. I am told there are similarities with Mexico, and the C4 WRC was competitive there, so that's very encouraging. Our objective will be to win with a view to increasing our lead in the Drivers' championship and enabling Citroen to stay in the fight for top spot in the Manufacturers' standings. If Daniel and I can pull that off, it will be our 40th WRC win. That's not something I'm particularly obsessed about, but it would make a nice, round figure!"

Loeb’s team-mate Dani Sordo took part in the recce of the 2007 Jordan Rally. He finished third on the last round in Argentina, and is hoping that a bit of prior knowledge of the Jordan stages will help him to another podium result.

"I have rarely turned up for the start of a WRC round with more experience of the event than most of my rivals," said Sordo. "The stages tend to be fast and wide, with a surface that's as hard as concrete and shouldn't cut up too much after the first loop. I think the pace will be quick but we will have to watch out for the top coating of loose gravel which will produce changes in grip. It will be unwise to stray off the ideal line, while going off isn't an option because of the deep ditches! We will aim for a podium finish."

Petter Solberg hopes his experience of the roads in Jordan and the local knowledge of his co-driver and team will help him on the upcoming rally. Solberg and the Subaru World Rally Team head to Jordan with the benefit of more Middle East Rally understanding than most. The Norwegian and his co-driver Phil Mills drove the Jordan Rally recce in 2007 when it was a WRC candidate event. In addition, Mills has a lot of competition experience in the Middle East Rally Championship and scored his first international rally win on the Jordan Rally in 1994 alongside Mohammed Bin Sulayem.

“I did the recce in Jordan last year and I was very happy to have the chance to look at the roads, said Solberg. “It will be a new event for everyone so we are doing all we can now, using the notes from the recce to prepare as best we can and try and be in the best shape for the rally. It may be possible to do the rally well with new pace notes and no experience of the roads, but I’m just trying to do things 110 per cent, and if the recce gives us even a slight advantage, it was worth it.”

For Chris Atkinson, however, the rally will be a completely new challenge. “I haven’t been to Jordan and don’t really know what to expect,” he said. “I’ve heard the roads are in quite good condition, but it’s going to be difficult first time there having not done the recce last year. The fact that no-one has competed here before may even things up a little, but we know that the same guys will always be fast anywhere.”

Atkinson is enjoying his most successful start to a WRC season and clinched his third podium from four rallies on the last round in Argentina. But despite his recent success the Australian isn’t making any wild predictions about his chances in Jordan. “At this part of the season it’s all about linking events to build momentum for the next few rounds,” he said.

BP-Ford Abu-Dhabi team leader Mikko Hirvonen said: "I've never been there but I've spoken to some drivers who have and seen photographs from our team, who visited the candidate rally last year," he said. "The roads look smooth and it seems as though the organisers have done a good job in preparing them. They look fast and flowing, like Finland but without the jumps, so if that's the case they should be good for me.”

Following a frustrating time on Rally Mexico, when he failed to match the pace of Loeb or his own team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, Hirvonen thinks his speed is again good enough to worry Loeb. “I was happier with my speed on the first morning during the last round in Argentina,” he said. The poor conditions probably helped me initially, but when they improved I still took some time from Sebastien Loeb and so it was definitely an improvement."

"Sunday is the longest of the rally, which is quite different to most events,” he said. “If a driver has large time gaps in front or behind then there will be more kilometres than usual in which to keep an eye on things. But if the time gaps are just 20 or 30 seconds, there could still be a lot to fight for on the final day.”