San Marino Rally no longer on 2013 ERC calendar

The 2013 FIA European Rally Championship will total 12 rounds following confirmation that the San Marino Rally will not form part of this year’s calendar.

Scheduled to run as round seven from 11-13 July, the event’s inclusion on the ERC roster had always been subject to the signing of an agreement between the rally organisers and the ERC promoter Eurosport Events.

Despite extensive efforts to ensure that the rally remained on the ERC schedule, the event organisers have informed Eurosport Events that they are not in a position to sign the agreement for financial reasons.

With no replacement rally planned, drivers will now count their best four scores from the first six rounds and their best four results from the last six rallies.

“We have tried everything to find a number of solutions to keep the San Marino Rally on the ERC calendar but, unfortunately, this has not been possible with the new management of San Marino’s motorsport federation,” said François Ribeiro, Motorsport Development Director, Eurosport Events. “We regret the idea of losing a compact gravel event in Italy, but the cut in public funding went beyond expectations.”

The revised ERC calendar for 2013 is as follows:

01 :International Jännerrallye (Austria) / Asphalt/snow / 3-5 January 2013
02: Rally Liepāja-Ventspils (Latvia) / Gravel/snow / 1-3 February 2013
03: Rally Islas Canarias El Corte Inglés (Spain) /Asphalt / 21-23 March 2013           
04: SATA Rallye Açores (Portugal) / Gravel / 25-27 April 2013
05: Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse (France) / Asphalt / 16-18 May 2013
06: GEKO Ypres Rally (Belgium) / Asphalt / 27-29 June 2013
07: Sibiu Rally (Romania) / Gravel / 25-27 July 2013
08: Barum Czech Rally Zlín / Asphalt 30 August-1 September 2013
09: Lotos 70th Rally Poland / Gravel / 13-15 September 2013
10: Croatia Rally / Asphalt / 26-28 September 2013
11: Rallye Sanremo (Italy) / Asphalt / 10-12 October 2013
12: Rallye International du Valais (Switzerland) / Asphalt / 7-9 November 2013