Croatia Rally confirmed for ERC “Super September”
Request to change the time slot for Croatia Rally, and move it from June to September, caused all sorts of changes in 2013 European Rally Championship calendar. According to the official info, recently released by ERC website, Croatian motorsport federation requested this change so the rally can coincide with the FIA World Motorsport Council meeting, scheduled to take part at the same time in Croatia.
Rally Poland was the willing donor of the requested time slot, and Croatia Rally will now happen at the end of the September, 26th to 28th. All tarmac event will be one of the three ERC events planned for September – it all begins with Barum Czech Rally Zlin (30 Aug – 1 Sept), followed by Rally Poland two weeks later and finally Croatia wrapping up the month, aptly named “Super September”.
The potential problem lies in the fact that Rally Poland is gravel event, but what’s even worse is that new date of Polish event now clashes with the Australian round of the WRC! That is extremely far from ideal and I am already looking forward to not sleeping at all for entire weekend! On the other hand, can one ever have too much rally?
– excerpt from FIAERC.com –
François Ribeiro, Motorsport Development Director of Eurosport Events, said: “Changing the calendar once the season is underway is never an ideal situation but we must thank the organisers of Rally Poland for their assistance in accommodating a request by the Croatia Rally. Even though we have now a gravel event in between two Tarmac rallies, the momentum will be high and the ERC will firmly be in the public eye during the month of September.
“While the date of Rally Poland now clashes with the WRC round in Australia, something we had looked to avoid with the FIA, the different time zones and the fact the two rallies appeal to a different competitor base means neither rally should be overly affected.”
FIA European Rally Championship 2013 calendar (revised)
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 Tour de Corse (France), Asphalt, 16-18 May 2013
06 GEKO Ypres Rally (Belgium), Asphalt, 27-29 June 2013
07 Rally San Marino*, Gravel, 11-13 July 2013
08 Sibiu Rally (Romania), Gravel, 25-27 July 2013
09 Barum Czech Rally Zlín, Asphalt, 30 August-1 September 2013
10 Rally Poland, Gravel, 13-15 September 2013
11 Croatia Rally, Asphalt, 26-28 September 2013
12 Rallye Sanremo (Italy), Asphalt, 10-12 October 2013
13 Rallye International du Valais (Switzerland), Asphalt, 7-9 November 2013
