It was transmitted on BBC2 from 1984[1] until 1998 and usually featured previews, a live stage, twice nightly reports and a wrap-up compilation.

Top Gear presenter William Woollard presented the programme from rally headquarters with Sue Baker, Barrie Gill and later Tony Mason doing the location reports on the stages.

In 1987 Tony Mason joined Top Gear – first as a rally specialist and then as a major contributor.

The show's theme music was "Jewelled" (from the remix album Wishful Thinking) by Propaganda.

[2][3] The show was curtailed to one review programme for 1990, owing to Sky having obtained rights to screen that year's event, but reverted to full coverage for 1991, the last year in which Woollard fronted the programme.