WRC to reveal 2011 dates this year

The 2010 schedule of events, expected to be ratified at next week's World Motor Sport Council meeting, is a transitional calendar put together between the FIA and International Sportsworld Communicators, the firm recently announced as the WRC's global promoter.

But 2011 is increasingly talked about as the start of a new beginning for WRC with new technical regulations also arriving in 18 months.

"We've given a huge amount of thought to 2011 already," said Long. "And we already have a pretty good idea of the make up. Come 2011 we will have a calendar we can be truly proud of; we intend to raise the bar in the promotion of a world-class event. And we expect to be in a position to announce that calendar before the end of this year."

With more than 20 events vying for what is likely to be 14 positions on the 2011 calendar, Long admits competition for a WRC place is going to be tough.

"There are going to be some surprises between now and 2011 [in terms of event selection], some of the events are ready to step up and innovate and others are not," he said.

"This is the challenge to events: if you want to be on the calendar for the World Rally Championship, you're going to have to be world class and able to show off the best of rally to spectators and viewers around the world."

Long also added that some degree of rotation could be retained in the calendar. The most obvious candidates for this would be Norway and Sweden (although ISC is not against running two snow rallies in a season) and New Zealand and Australia.

"There is an argument for rotating a small number of events, but, candidly, we feel the World Rally Championship needs a backbone [of annual events] with flexibility around the edges," he said.

"The DNA of this championship is all about its variety, gravel, asphalt, snow and ice. It's about a balance, bringing all the different elements to the calendar in a way which makes logistical sense and delivers variety at the heart of WRC.

"We go to extraordinary locations as well as diverse locations and we want to enshrine that in the calendar for 2011 and beyond."