Although the British round was initially scrapped from the 2010 schedule – due to FIA's rotational system imposed to most of its premier class series – the international body decided to put it back on the board for next year. Rally GB will therefore become next year's season finale, making for the 13th round of the calendar.
The reason why it was rescheduled for next year was because 3 of the potential 2010 events have announced they will not be able to host WRC rounds. While Monte Carlo will officially leave the championship next year – as they have confirmed plans to run as an Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) event – Indonesia and Russia revealed they would not able to secure the hosting of a WRC round either.
The announcement from the FIA is to create even more chaos for the Cardiff organizers, as the Welsh Assembly government had already parted ways with Rally GB due to the fact that the event was not to be part of the WRC schedule in 2010. As it turns out, this is no longer the case, which will lead to the event's sponsor being forced to back the Cardiff based caravan once more.
The only unknown element of the 2010 schedule seems to be Rally Bulgaria, as the south-eastern European country is yet to prove the FIA that they are worthy of hosting a WRC round. In case they'll fail, Rally Argentina has been already appointed as reserve round for the 2010 calendar.
The 2010 calendar – Sweden, Mexico, Portugal, Jordan, Turkey, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Japan, Corse (France), Catalonia, Great Britain – was set up by WRC's global promoter International Sportsworld Communicators and is to be ratified by FIA's World Motor Sport Council during their next meeting in Paris, scheduled next month.
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