World Rally Championship rounds fail to sign FIA contract over 2013
None of the events involved in the 2013 World Rally Championship have signed the FIA's proposed agreement for next year's series, according to AUTOSPORT's sources
The FIA issued the five-page contract on May 28 and stipulated the agreement had to be signed and returned by close of business on Friday June 8. Failure to do so would result in the event not being included on the 2013 calendar.
The rallies involved in the series had strongly rejected the proposal due to the implementation of a £80,000 fee for the production and distribution of television and the use of vital safety tracking and timing systems.
A source inside one of the rallies offered a slot for 2013 said: "We want to talk about this contract. Some events are in a better [place] than others of us, but we still feel there is discussions needed here."
Sources that confirmed senior FIA staff - believed to be WRC Commission president Jarmo Mahonen and WRC manager Michele Mouton - had been in touch with the rallies in an effort to get the events to sign.
"We want to talk about this," said the source. "As the letter [FFSA letter sent to the FIA to outline issues with the contract] stated, we haven't had time to talk about this."
The FIA has made no comment on the passing of Friday's deadline.
The matter is likely to be discussed at next Friday's World Motor Sport Council meeting.
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