Organisers criticise FIA for axing stage

A statement released by the Automobile Club de Monaco on Friday afternoon read:

'The Automobile Club's clerks of the course have had the regret to cancel, following a request from Mr Jacek Bartos, helicopter lifted FIA's Permanent Safety Delegate, Special Stage No.6.

'The Automobile Club does not approve this decision, judging that, contrary to the Observer's assessment, the size and alleged unruly behaviour of the crowd, usual at the start, tends as experience has shown to normalise itself once the first car is running.

'Everyone will understand that considering that the hasty decision from the Observer was made public, the Automobile Club could not take on itself any risk whatsoever in that stage.

'The sporting management is therefore becoming difficult to assume, once this notion of risk, which is part of motor racing, is not accepted anymore.'

The FIA cancelled the first stage of today's leg due to the number of spectators spilling onto the rally route.