This just in from Eurosport.co.uk
North America is likely to have a round of the world rally championship soon, as the sport expands globally. "We're certainly looking at America and we're discussing with a number of people over there for events," said David Richards, whose ISC marketing company runs rallying.
"We're talking to an event in Canada, we're looking at Mexico and a couple of events in America. "I would expect that within the next three years we will find place in the championship for an American round," he said after Sunday's British rally.
The world championship, won by British driver Richard Burns in a Subaru on Sunday and manufacturers Peugeot, currently has 14 rounds and takes in Argentina alone in the Americas. The United States hosted the Press-On-Regardless rally in the 1970s while Canada had the Rideau Lakes and Quebec Rally in the same decade.
Richards, who bought the world rally rights from Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone last year, said expansion beyond 14 rounds was likely. "For the moment we couldn't cope with more than 14 rounds in terms of the logistics but I foresee a time in the not too distant future when we could increase that," he said "We have to get all the other aspects right first."
Australia, New Zealand and Kenya are the other countries outside of Europe that hosted the 2001 series but China has been visited in the past and Richards has spoken of a Japanese round as well.
Richards said he had agreed a deal with America's Fox television network to show next year's world championship in that country.
He said the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington had not had a major financial impact on a championship involving carmakers Ford, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Subaru, Skoda and Hyundai. "Lots of commercial partners are coming on board who all see the opportunity that this championship has in a direct and relevant way to their products," he said.
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