Corsica set to reclaim WRC status

The Tour of Corsica is expected to reclaim its slot as the World Rally Championship's French venue following the funding problems for the previous Strasbourg event.

The FIA and WRC Promoter are in negotiations with Eurosport Events in an effort to find a way around current broadcaster agreements for the French island event, which is currently a round of the European Rally Championship.

Corsica had a long history in the world championship and was one of the founding rounds of the series in 1973. It remained on the WRC calendar until 2008, when the French round moved to Sebastien Loeb's home region of Alsace.

Loeb's absence from last year's event hit spectator figures, forcing a rethink on regional funding.

The Tour of Corsica is reckoned to be 50 percent short of the $1.7 million budget needed for this year's event and sources suggest that cash could be found by the governing body of French motorsport as the FFSA seeks to retain its place on the calendar and maintain its commitment to provide a WRC round this year.

Both WRC Promoter and the FIA are confident the full quota of 13 events will run in 2015.

WRC Promoter chief Oliver Ciesla said: "We decided to run 13 events this year and that's what we are going for. If one of our events has to consider changing venue, we try to support them where we can and deliver on what was promised.

"My position on running a WRC event on an island is well known, it's not our favourite option, but at the same time we know on a sporting level we will have a top-quality event and we can live with this. There have been rallies in Corsica before and we would not complain about going there."

Loeb said he was thankful his home region had had chance to host the WRC.

"I think we have to stay positive about this," said Loeb. "There was a chance to have the rally in Alsace and if I had not been an eight or nine-time world champion then the rally would never be there.

"We had some great moments, it was a great rally with a lot of spectators and now maybe it's time to go somewhere else. It was a great moment to have it, but now it's finished."

Originally on Autosport.com