The New Zealand motor rally, already confirmed as part of next year's world championship, is set for a change of date.
New Zealand was originally to host the fourth round of the championships from April 1-4, which now clashes with draft dates for next year's Formula One calendar.
"The FIA [Federation Internationale de Automobile] has a policy of ensuring that Formula One and world rally championship are not run on the same weekend," Rally New Zealand chairman Morrie Chandler said after a World Motorsport Council meeting in Paris.
"This causes conflict for the huge worldwide television audiences. Also, the Formula One calendar, which incorporates considerable freight planning issues, has date precedence."
This news came as part of changes mooted by WMC for next year that will allow for more rallies, less time and less expense.
The major change would see the scrapping of the three-day rally reconnaissance in separate cars.
At present, each championship rally is run over seven days, with reconnaissance starting on Monday morning and the rally finishing on Sunday afternoon.
The change would see the rally raced over four days, with reconnaissance set on each afternoon, using the actual rally cars.
The FIA believes the changes will save 34 days on the present race calendar, allowing the addition of two new rallies.
The FIA also proposes to cut costs by reducing testing to one country and flexi-service to prevent teams having to service more than one car at a time, reducing the number of mechanics and equipment required.
It also proposes a ban on telemetry in the cars, control tyres, sealing of parts and the change to normally aspirated cars by 2006.
Chandler said a complete review would take place over the next few weeks to rationalise the calendar and the changes to event structures that were proposed at the meeting.
- NZPA
Motorsport: Rally NZ's dates fall victim to Formula One reshuffle
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.