GB Rally faces one-year lay-off

The Wales Rally GB will drop off the world championship calendar in 2010 after motorsport's governing body announced a rotation policy.

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council says events will move to give new venues a chance to stage a rally, and the schedule will be cut to 12 events.

Britain and Ireland will both miss out in 2010.

The Monte Carlo Rally, which has only been off the schedule twice since 1949, will be rested for one year in 2009.

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2009 World Rally calendar:
1 February Ireland
15 February Norway
15 March Cyprus
5 April Portugal
26 April Argentina
24 May Italy 14 June Greece
28 June Poland
2 August Finland
6 September Australia
4 October Spain
25 October GB

2010 World Rally calendar:
24 January Monte Carlo
14 February Sweden
7 March Mexico
11 April Jordan
25 April Turkey
16 May New Zealand
20 June Indonesia
18 July Russia
8 August Bulgaria
22 August Germany
12 September Japan
10 October France