2011 WRC calendar to be proposed

North One Sport officials remained tight-lipped about the precise content of a calendar which is seen as being pivotal to the sport's continued revival. While they are unlikely to be included next year, there is already talk of a snow rally in Russia and an event in Abu Dhabi for the following season.

"I can only talk in general about the calendar, no specifics," said North One CEO Simon Long. "We will not be proposing rotation of events; we will propose 14 or 15 rallies. As we have always said, we will focus on the best events including some traditional rallies and the ones which are best marketed and promoted.

"There will be casualties from the current WRC calendar and we are hoping to have the calendar presented from the Commission to the World Motorsport Council in March."

North One Sport will have to select the best 14 or 15 rallies from the 21 included in the 2009 and 2010 WRC calendars. Long admitted there remained a possible surprise in the calendar adding: "Maybe, and I'm saying maybe, there could be a surprise with an event in a new market."

The announcement of the calendar is expected to come out of the March World Motor Sport Council meeting. One of the key events North One Sport is looking to bring back into the WRC fold is the Monte Carlo Rally. Britain's Rally GB is thought to be safe, as is Rally Finland - which signed a five-year agreement with North One Sport last August.

It seems both Sweden and Norway could be included in 2011, with Long unwilling to work with rotation, but conceding that there was room for two winter rallies in the calendar.