MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • Nürburgring: World’s most challenging track opens 2021 WTCR season following calendar changes
  • #ONETRUCKFAMILY Esports Challenge Kick-Starts in Hungary
  • SPARCO triumphs at the Dakar rally 2021 with Peterhansel
  • Registrations open for new 2021 FIA RX2e Championship
  • Simply accelerating fast in a straight line is not enough for BMW
  • Home
  • News
  • Dakar
    • DAKAR 2016
    • Dakar 2015
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • Motorbike
  • Touring Cars
  • Circuit Racing
  • Events
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

No ‘Circuit’ next year

Jul 30, 2016


Tweet

As a result of funding uncertainty, the Circuit of Ireland Rally Event Director, Bobby Willis, has announced that the Rally will not be taking place in 2017.

“I have had the privilege of managing the Circuit of Ireland Rally since 2009. In that time the event has grown significantly and now hosts the prestigious European, British, Irish and Northern Ireland Championships. Last year we had in excess of 40 million television viewers worldwide, with similar numbers expected this year. Another hundred thousand viewers, in 130 countries followed the event via live streaming in what we believe to be a first for this scale of rally. Year on year the event has brought increasing social and economic dividends for Northern Ireland and, in particular, the tourism and hospitality sector. But the growing success and size of the event necessitates precise long term project planning, additional resources and inevitably more financial investment,” Bobby Willis explains.

“To date we have had fantastic support from Councils across Northern Ireland, Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland, private sponsorship and the NI Executive. I believe we have delivered an excellent return on investment for all our partners, with the substantial growth achieved in the last seven years. We have been working hard with all our funders to plan ahead for 2017 but regrettably at this point in time the financial resources required to deliver the event are still not in place. To run the Rally next year, in the current format, without the right resources and necessary planning period would be to do the Rally a gross disservice. I believe we cannot risk proceeding with the 2017 event at this point without financial certainty.”

“The decision not to run the Rally next year has been the most difficult one I have ever had to make and will be extremely disappointing for a wide range of people including the hundreds of volunteers who have contributed so much. The Circuit of Ireland Rally has reached a level of success unimaginable only a few years ago, attracting an enviable international entry list and with opportunities for even more growth within our grasp. For those reasons it is vital that the ‘Circuit of Ireland’ brand is protected for future generations. Whilst other options for a small, local rally may be considered for next year, my plan is to take the time to work closely with our partners to secure the necessary resources and plan for the Circuit of Ireland Rally to return in 2018 with an even better event.


  • tweet
Related articles
  • Nürburgring: World’s most challenging track opens 2021 WTCR season following calendar changes
    Nürburgring: World’s most...

    Jan 23, 2021 Comments Off on Nürburgring: World’s most challenging track opens 2021 WTCR season following calendar changes

  • #ONETRUCKFAMILY Esports Challenge Kick-Starts in Hungary
    #ONETRUCKFAMILY Esports Challenge...

    Jan 23, 2021 Comments Off on #ONETRUCKFAMILY Esports Challenge Kick-Starts in Hungary

  • SPARCO triumphs at the Dakar rally 2021 with Peterhansel
    SPARCO triumphs at the Dakar rally 2021...

    Jan 23, 2021 Comments Off on SPARCO triumphs at the Dakar rally 2021 with Peterhansel

  • Registrations open for new 2021 FIA RX2e Championship
    Registrations open for new 2021 FIA...

    Jan 23, 2021 Comments Off on Registrations open for new 2021 FIA RX2e Championship

More in this category
  • Nürburgring: World’s most challenging track opens 2021 WTCR season following calendar changes
    Nürburgring: World’s most...

    Comments Off on Nürburgring: World’s most challenging track opens 2021 WTCR season following calendar changes

  • #ONETRUCKFAMILY Esports Challenge Kick-Starts in Hungary
    #ONETRUCKFAMILY Esports Challenge...

    Comments Off on #ONETRUCKFAMILY Esports Challenge Kick-Starts in Hungary

  • Registrations open for new 2021 FIA RX2e Championship
    Registrations open for new 2021 FIA...

    Comments Off on Registrations open for new 2021 FIA RX2e Championship

  • Simply accelerating fast in a straight line is not enough for BMW
    Simply accelerating fast in a straight...

    Comments Off on Simply accelerating fast in a straight line is not enough for BMW


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • Lola Cars, Lola Technical Centre and Wind Tunnel Facility offered for sale
    Lola Cars, Lola Technical Centre and Wind Tunnel Facility...

    Jan 15, 2021

    TweetThe Lola Cars Brand, Trademarks, Extensive Technical...
  • Follow in the footsteps of Grand Prix legends and drive a Jordan F1 race car
    Follow in the footsteps of Grand Prix legends and drive a...

    Jan 09, 2021

    Tweet  Once driven by motor sport legend Takuma Sato...
  • WIN 1 of 3 ETRC TEAM T SPORT BERNAU PRIZE PACKS!
    WIN 1 of 3 ETRC TEAM T SPORT BERNAU PRIZE PACKS!

    Jan 02, 2021

    TweetIn association with T Sport Bernau and team sponsors...
  • FIA RX2e Championship Manual available for prospective competitors
    FIA RX2e Championship Manual available for prospective...

    Dec 29, 2020

    Tweet The official Championship Manual for the FIA RX2e...
  • ERC stars support FIA Volunteers & Officials Weekend on Rally Islas Canarias
    ERC stars support FIA Volunteers & Officials Weekend...

    Nov 28, 2020

    Tweet*FIA ERC season decider among events celebrating...

Categories

  • Africa Eco-Race
  • BRC
  • Circuit Racing
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Dakar
  • Dakar 2015
  • DAKAR 2016
  • DAKAR 2017
  • DAKAR 2019 PERU
  • DAKAR RALLY 2018
  • EV Motorsport
  • Events
  • EverGreeens: Irish Abroad
  • Extreme E
  • Forestry Rally
  • Formula 1
  • Hillclimb
  • IndyCar Series
  • Interview
  • Middle East Rally Championship
  • Morocco Rally
  • Motorbike
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • RallyX
  • Related products
  • Review
  • Sportscars
  • Touring Cars
  • Tribute
  • Truck Racing
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • WRC
Tweets by @IrMotSportNews

Recent Posts

Cross-Country Champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & WRC star Kris Meeke to compete in Qatar International Rally 2021

Cross-Country Champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah & WRC star Kris...

Jan 21, 2021

Tweet Defending FIA Middle East rally champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and WRC star Kris Meeke are the top seeds on an international 18-car entry with competitors from nine nations (subject to FIA...
Read More
FIA ETRC condemns the racist and sexist comments made during Dakar Rally 2021

FIA ETRC condemns the racist and sexist comments...

Jan 21, 2021

Akio Toyoda praises Toyota Gazoo Racing & Hino Sugawara Team on Dakar Rally 2021

Akio Toyoda praises Toyota Gazoo Racing &...

Jan 17, 2021

Honda 1-2 on 2021 Dakar Rally as Kevin Benavides wins & Ricky Brabec 2nd in the world’s toughest race

Honda 1-2 on 2021 Dakar Rally as Kevin Benavides...

Jan 16, 2021

5th place overall for Bahrain Raid Xtreme ‘Hunter’ driver, Nani Roma

5th place overall for Bahrain Raid Xtreme...

Jan 16, 2021

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved