Consequently, FIA vice-president Mohammed ben Sulayem and Irish senator Marc MacSharry met during the course of this week to discuss a potential WRC return to Ireland in 2012. And the results were positive, if we are to trust the statements of the two officials after the meeting.
Apparently, MacSharry will not only try to bring the WRC action back to Ireland, but also increase his country's role within the entire FIA organization. Meaning he'll try to set up a plan with all parties linked to the world of motor racing in Ireland in order for “Sligo (base of Rally Ireland) to host the World Motor Sport Council meeting in 2011 and the prestigious FIA General Assembly and prize giving in 2013,” as quoted as saying by Autosport.
“With Sligo as its lead, Ireland proved to the world that it can successfully bid for, win and host global events such as the WRC. In 2007, in particular, we displayed our capability to not just compete, but beat the best the rest could offer with the Irish round of the WRC ranking second in the championship and first in terms of television viewers worldwide,” MacSharry further argued his case.
Ben Sulayem also expressed his positive feelings towards a potential return to the series of Rally Ireland (which hosted only 2 FIA-sanctioned ERC events in the past), saying that “given Ireland's long association with motorsport, its track record on Rally Ireland, together with the work and commitment of Motorsport Ireland and Senator MacSharry, clearly I would be supportive of any Irish Initiative to host the WRC or other FIA events.”
WRC promoter North One Sport will forward the 2012 WRC calendar to the FIA's World Motor Sport Council sometime in March next year.
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