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EXCLUSIVE: Max Mosley Q & A

The FIA announced this morning that International Sportsworld Communicators had won the tender for the position of global for the World Rally Championship, effectively safeguarding the sport's commercial future until 2020

Autosport.com spoke exclusively to FIA president Max Mosley at the ceremonial start of Rally Ireland in Enniskillen this evening, who explained the importance of the deal and the impact it will have on the future of the WRC.

Q. How important is today's announcement in safeguarding the future of the World Rally Championship in these tough economic times?

Max Mosley: It's very important. The manufacturers will now realise there's a proper and serious organisation behind this championship and that's going to make them more inclined to come in and participate - particularly if we can keep the costs under control.

Q. What does the announcement mean to the WRC?

MM: It means a proper commercial entity, experts in both television and the internet, are now fully behind the championship and have a long-term commitment to the sport.

Particularly the internet has a huge future [in WRC] and ISC fully understand that. My personal theory is that this is going to be the big growth area. It will also be interesting to see, because it's their main business, the level of television coverage will increase beyond all recognition.

Q. How important is live television broadcasting in the WRC?

MM: It is to some extent. But if you take the length of a rally and the gaps between the stages, they can only ever show a little part of it, but if it's done well it can be thrilling. But we need the internet, that way we can cover the whole thing.

Q. One of the key commercial aspects of the WRC is the calendar. How much freedom will ISC have over the calendar as the global promoter?

MM: Considerable freedom. Obviously the dates of the rally, taking all the different factors into account are critical to commercial success. If they (ISC) put forward a calendar, we would be reluctant to refuse any element of it, unless there was a very good reason. I mean, I think for all practical purposes, I think they will make the calendar.

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