Rally Deutschland comes under threat

The council could exclude Rallye Deutschland on safety grounds following an unsatisfactory report from FIA-nominated observers. The event will be given a second and final inspection at the beginning of May.

But Rallye Deutschland's Gunter Jung believes the event has everything in place to satisfy FIA observers when they return next month.

"We had a problem in preparing the papers and detailed maps of the Baumholder area for the observers due to bad weather," said Jung. "Heavy snowfalls in the Baumholder area made it impossible to make photos from the helicopter or drive through the stages.

"The observers have seen the other two regions of the rally and had no complaints, just small suggestions to improve," he added. "We have a new spectator guiding system and more roads to the Baumholder area."

Should the safety inspection prove unsatisfactory the rally will be removed from this year's calendar. Meanwhile, the council confirmed Telstra Rally Australia's place on this year's calendar following an agreement finalised between Australia's motorsport body CAMS and the event's promoters, the Western Australia Tourist Commission.

"We are delighted to have Western Australia's largest event, Telstra Rally Australia, secure on the World Rally Championship calendar," said Clive Brown, tourist minister for Western Australia. "We have worked together with CAMS to ensure that Rally Australia stays in WA, and we are pleased that all is resolved. It is fantastic news for the tourism industry in Western Australia and indeed for every rally fan in Australia."