2009 and 2010 Calendars

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council confirmed last Friday, December 7th, that the World Rally Championship calendar will use a rotation system in two years' time.

The rotation system allows candidate events to be alternated year-on-year to provide rallies with a chance of appearing on the schedule.

Monte Carlo will be absent from the 2009 calendar and the season will kick off with Rally Ireland. Monte Carlo will not be on the calendar for the first time since 1996 but will return to its original slot in 2010.

There will be only 12 events in 2009 and 2010 rather than 16 rallies this year and 15 events in 2008.

2009 FIA World Rally Championship

Ireland - 01 February
Norway - 15 February
Cyprus - 15 March
Portugal - 05 April
Argentina - 26 April
Italy - 24 May
Greece - 14 June
Poland - 28 June
Finland - 02 August
Australia - 06 September
Spain - 04 October
GB - 25 October

2010 FIA World Rally Championship

Monte Carlo - 24 January
Sweden - 14 February
Mexico - 07 March
Jordan - 11 April
Turkey - 25 April
New Zealand - 16 May
Indonesia - 20 June
Russia - 18 July
Bulgaria - 08 August
Germany - 22 August
Japan - 12 September
France - 10 October