IRC Scraps Argentina Round from 2011 Calendar

This year's International Rally Challenge (IRC) will not be traveling to South America, after it emerged that Argentina will not host an IRC round this year. According to British magazine Autosport, Rally de los Alerces ran into financial difficulties and will be unable to host the projected second round of the 2011 campaign.

Rally de los Alerces would have made its official debut in the IRC this season, piggybacking on Rally Argentina's participation in the series last year. As part of the rotation policy implemented by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) Rally Argentina will this year be part of the WRC calendar – after missing it out last season – but provided the IRC with the possibility to visit Alceres.

Unfortunately for the Argentine organizers, not enough money could be raised to ensure a healthy round in the IRC.

“Unfortunately, the organisers of Rally de los Alerces have faced difficulties with their main sponsor and were unable to confirm their position on the calendar,” said IRC boss boss Marcello Lotti. “We will continue to have dialogue with them in the hope Argentina can return to the IRC in the future.”

That being said, the IRC officials have already secured a host for their second round of the season, with Spain's Rally Islas Canarias (provisional round until earlier today) scheduled to run between April 14-16. Tour du Corse, the 3rd round of the 2011 IRC, was subsequently moved to May 13-15.

This is the second South American event scrapped from the IRC calendar this week, after Rally Curitiba (Brazil).