The global financial crisis appears to have had a major effect on the number of entries, with the 2009 race attracting less than half the entry for the last Rally Ireland (in 2007), and roughly half the average entry for the rallies on the 2008 calendar.
The factory Citroen and Ford squads will be represented by the same driver line-up as 2008. Defending champion Sebastien Loeb and team-mate Dani Sordo have been confirmed as Citroen’s nominated drivers, while Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala will drive for Ford. Khalid Al Qassimi will pilot a third factory Ford Focus RS WRC.
Rally Ireland takes place between the 29 January and 1 February and includes 350 competitive kilometres, run as 19 stages through the counties of Cavan, Leitrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Sligo, Donegal and Roscommon.
| 
|