Northern Ireland was tipped to fill the vacant TBC 18-21 August round on this year’s WRC calendar, before it was confirmed last week that the event was no longer viable.
It’s the second time Rally Northern Ireland’s bid to join the calendar has failed after an attempt last year, meaning the UK will be absent from the calendar again, the last event being Wales Rally GB in 2019.
The bid headed by Belfast businessman Bobby Willis had full support from the WRC to the point where the championship was willing to issue a calendar with a TBC to allow time for funding to be secured. It is understood that ministers in both central and devolved UK and Northern Ireland governments were in support of the proposal but a decision on finding was yet to be made.
Motorsport UK supported the bid before withdrawing that in December last year, citing that it couldn’t take the financial risk, if funding was not sought, and that eight months wasn’t sufficient time to help organise a WRC event….
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