FIA president Jean Todt expects imminent solution to World Rally Championship promoter crisis

This weekend's season opening Monte Carlo Rally is taking place without the WRC having a promoter in place, following the collapse of the deal with former promoter North One Sport.

Todt addressed the media about the situation on Friday morning, and he said he is "very optimistic" that a full-time promoter will be in place before Rally Sweden begins on February 9.

When asked if there is a solution to the issue of finding a promoter, Todt said: "Yes. We are working very hard on that. We had one emergency to cover, which was the Monte Carlo Rally.

"We are working to have a satisfactory agreement for the rest of the championship and for the following years. We are very optimistic that we are able to find proper solutions before the Swedish Rally."

Todt stressed that it was vital for the FIA to make the right choice when securing a new promoter, and he believes it will take five years to take world rallying back to where it should be.

"We have a fantastic opportunity to have a better WRC and a better rally sport," he said. "It's not to be achieved in one day, but if we work well together with the new promoter, which will be chosen with the organisers of the events, the competitors, the manufacturers, we will be able to go back to a very strong championship.

"This won't happen in one year, I think this is a five-year programme. We are now starting in 2012 and I really feel 2013 will be the next step, 2014 a further step, and I'm optimistic we will be where we want to be."