20 Jan 08

2008 FIA WRC season launch

Introduction

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Want to know what was said at the 2008 WRC season launch? Well wonder no more - here's the transcript of the whole event:

Simon Long, CEO, ISC: It's a real pleasure to see so many familiar faces here. It's fitting we're here in the ACM for the launch. It seems like only yesterday we were in Wales for that exciting finish to last year's Championship battle between Sebastien Loeb and Marcus Gronholm. I'm sorry Marcus can't be here, but there are plenty of new exciting drivers with us. We have the launch of the new Suzuki team, I'm sorry the car can't be here - but we look forward to seeing it on Thursday for the start of the rally. We also welcome Jordan into the WRC and Turkey back to calendar. We also have exciting news in the Junior and Production championships, with 40 competitors of 27 nationalities from four continents at the last count; it's great to see the products of these Championships - we saw our own Sebastien Loeb become J-WRC Championin 2001, who would have thought these years later he would have notched up four world titles?

It's a transitional year for us at ISC. We have new owners, which are the television partner from years gone by - North One TV. We will look to promote and invest in the Championship using new technology to demonstrate this sport. You should all look out for www.wrc.com, which has also undergone a revamp for this year. We have more than 200 hours of footage which you will be able to access more and more through wrc.com throughout this year. We have some incredible action to look forward to and a dramatic media product as well. You can follow us through the TV, computer and mobile phone. I see a family of stakeholders before me, we are a sport in transition. We look forward to working with the FIA, the event promoters and the teams as we move the sport to its next stage of development.

Last year we brought in three new sponsors: Easynet, Abu Dhabi and Pirelli. We also look forward to one or two new announcements soon this season. We look forward to a sport that's changing and stabilising in its next stage of development. We also need to thank Pirelli and Suzuki as sponsors of this evening. Finally, I would like to thank the ACM for hosting us tonight and I would like to wish you well in what is going to be ground-breaking year for us all.