 The most newsworthy entry of all was that of 2008 Moto GP champion Valentino Rossi who was competing in a Ford Focus WRC complete with a Children in Need livery.Rossi was aiming to beat his previous two efforts in a WRC event, an early retirement at Rally GB in 2002 and an eleventh-place finish at the 2006 Rally New Zealand.The rally began in tricky conditions with ice and heavy rain making the roads very slippery and fog hampering the competitors' visibility.