NEW rallies in Ireland, Norway and Portugal will replace Australia, Cyprus and Turkey on next year's world championship calendar.

But plans to run the season "soccer style" over the European winter from 2007 were scrapped by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) at a meeting in Paris overnight.

The ruling FIA said in a statement its world motor sport council had approved a calendar which would continue to run on the existing January-November format instead of the proposed August-May switch.

The possibility of one or more of the dropped rallies being reinstated was kept open.

"The world rally championship commission will decide whether to add further events to the 2007 calendar and will make a proposal at the next world council meeting," it said. The FIA announced in October that the 2007 season would have just eight or nine rallies running from January to May before the 2008 season started up again in August to run over two calendar years.

The switch was intended to increase television coverage, with rallying facing less competition for air time from Formula One and motorcycling.

No reason was given for the change of mind.

Monte Carlo will start the 16-race calendar as usual in January while Norway - the championship's second event on snow - makes its debut in February as the third round after Sweden. Rally Ireland will be the penultimate event in November before the finale in Wales that same month. Spain and Corsica move from March/April to October.

The FIA also announced wide-ranging changes to the technical and sporting regulations over the next two years, including a new points system and single tyre supplier.

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The controversial "Super Rally" regulations, allowing drivers to rejoin a rally after retiring with only a five-minute penalty per stage, will be shelved.

Instead, a system of bonus points will be awarded in 2007 for each leg completed.

To reduce costs, an as-yet unspecified limit will be imposed on the number of engines to be used and testing days will be reduced.

From the start of the 2008 season, the rally world championship will follow Formula One with one tyre manufacturer.

The FIA said the introduction of biofuel, at the earliest opportunity, is also being studied by its technical department.

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E92 BMW M3 - silverstone silver
Ducati 1198S - red

www.lumensphotography.com

not suprised.

Aust really fucked up by not getting their shit together quick enough.

Rallying will die a slow death in Aust, getting next to no TV coverage of the WRC this year, and the top drivers from ARC are moving on, Subaru are/have pulled out. Just left with group N which doesnt really entertain the masses.

Dissappointing.

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K.E.R.S!!!1

Ahhhhh the joys of a labour government. thanks cockheads.

fuckers looks like im going overseas to watch some wrc love.

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deadly treadly

Even if it wasnt making a shitload of money for the government, it was giving Perth so much international exposure that could never be paid for.. 1 billion people watch rallies on tv.. FKN LABOR DIMWITS

yes we so need international exposure. i went to SF not long ago, i said im from western australia, there like, hmmm western australia, is that part of sydney?
but this fully sucks, theres f/all on fox anymore aswell, infact i find espn has dowgraded in a few things.

thankyou labour government

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Wand basics:
One must brake with the left hand and steer with the right foot.
Having Defi's does not make Racecar..

Possum would be turning in his grave. Not often I get political, but fuck you very much Labor government.

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I am only an asshole on the internet :)

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

i 2nd that

Bloody gay.

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love the dirt!!....
|RALLYCHIC|