2010 WRC Schedule

2010 World Rally Championship events agreed

Next year's World Rally Championship events have been agreed following a decision of the WRC commission today to approve the application of the candidate rally in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria was the sole FIA candidate rally for 2010, meaning that although it was included in next year's provisional calendar, its place depended on a satisfactory report from an FIA observer attending this year's Borovets-based event.

However doubts had been expressed about Bulgaria's bid to join the WRC after July's candidate rally ended prematurely, following a crash which killed Italian co-driver Flavio Guglielmin.

But after reviewing the FIA observers report at a meeting today in Paris, the World Rally Championship commission, headed by its president Morrie Chandler, decided that Rally Bulgaria had met the required standard, and would keep its place in next year's 13-round calendar.

Today's decision ends Rally Argentina's bid to be a part of the 2010 series. The South American event had put itself forward as a reserve in case Bulgaria's application was unsuccessful.

Although the events are now certain, the date of Rally Bulgaria remains to be finalised. Currently it is scheduled to finish on 11 July, but a move one week earlier or later seems likely to prevent a clash with the FIFA World Cup Final which takes place on the same day.

Next year's WRC calendar (with Sunday finish dates)

1. Sweden: 14/02/10
2. Mexico: 07/03/10
3. Jordan: 04/04/10
4. Turkey: 18/04/10
5. New Zealand: 09/05/10
6. Portugal: 30/05/10
7. Bulgaria*: 11/07/10
8. Finland: 01/08/10
9. Germany: 22/08/10
10. Japan: 12/09/10
11. France: 03/10/10
12. Spain: 24/10/10
13. GB: 14/11/10