WRC to prepare five-year blueprint

The plan, the first of its kind in WRC history, will provide a broad outline of the technical regulations and likely calendars beyond 2010.

"We've already got a three-year plan at the moment and after some meetings in September we hope to kick out this five-year plan," said Chandler.

"I'd like to supply teams with details of this plan by late September or early October. We need to give everyone as much lead time as possible. We've already said that teams can use the current car for the next three years, but they need to start work on what comes next right now. We don't want to be amateurs at this."

The New Zealander revealed that the Commission's draft calendar for the next three years contained only 16 rallies per year. However, this proposal was rejected by the World Motorsport Council.

"They took the view that the calendar should be driven by market forces, but the message I am getting loud and clear form the manufacturer teams is that they want a maximum of 16 rounds," he added.

"Now we have to establish a long-term agenda as soon as possible. I don't want to criticise decisions made in the past because I am not party to the pressures they were made under. But I don't think it's right that teams should find out the calendar for a season just a few months before the previous year finishes."

Malcolm Wilson, whose M-Sport concern runs Ford's factory team, said: "The sooner we know what is happening the more cost effectively we can run the team. We've never had a firm calendar in place so early before and that will be a huge help as costs are going up all the time."