FIA World Rallycross Championship approved for 2014
The FIA World Motor Sport Council has approved the creation of the FIA World Rallycross Championship from 2014 onwards
The approval is conditional based on a calendar comprising 11 or 12 events, nine or 10 of which will be held inside Europe plus a further event in either Asia or Africa, and one event on the American continent.
The final calendar and regulations for the World Rallycross Championship will be approved at the December meeting of the WMSC.
The FIA European Rallycross Championship will remain and run over five of the events held in Europe to provide a clear step between national competition and world championship level.
Although racing at the same events, permanent world championship drivers will not be eligible to score points in the European championship.
The TouringCar and Super1600 classes will maintain European championship status and will run at selected European rounds of the world series.
Confirmation of world championship status is a major step forward for championship promoter IMG Motorsports, which took over the series rights for the 2013 season.
Former World Rally champion Petter Solberg returned to rallycross this year, and has been a vocal supporter of IMG's push for world status.
"IMG have a lot of great ideas and plans for how they can make the sport really big," he said when the world championship was proposed.
"Like me, they are doing everything flat-out."
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