Rally Great Britain Confirmed for 2009

British rally fans are now relieved to find out that their home World Rally Championship event will go ahead as scheduled, later this year. As announced by British magazine AUTOSPORT yesterday evening, Rally GB was confirmed as being part of this year's calendar after the British motorsport governing body “agreed to underwrite the £2.2m cost of running the Cardiff event.”

While supporting the costs for this year's event, the Motor Sports Association (MSA) announced they will continue with their legal actions against Rally GB's former sponsor Welsh Assembly Government for its breach of contract.

“We have decided to underwrite this important and prestigious international event for the good of the sport, while continuing to pursue our extremely robust case against the Welsh Assembly Government for its breach of contract.” Chairman of both the MSA and the MSA's commercial arm, IMS, Alan Gow was quoted as saying by AUTOSPORT.

“IMS and everyone involved in Rally GB now have a very challenging period ahead to turn the event around in just four months. However, we are confident that the experience and professionalism of our people and clubs will make sure that this year's event is a great success,” added Gow.

The FIA recently announced that it has included Rally Great Britain in the 2010 calendar, despite the ruling body's rotational system. The reason for that move was that some of the events that were supposed to make the next year's schedule have failed in convincing the FIA that they are able to host a WRC rounds. Monte Carlo will proceed to hosting IRC events, while Indonesia and Russia didn't manage to secure the necessary funds for a 2010 event.