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FIA rejects 2015 World Rally Championship revamp proposals

The World Motor Sport Council rejected the proposal for radical change to the World Rally Championship at its meeting in Beijing on Friday

The WMSC had been widely expected to rubberstamp WRC Promoter's proposal for the introduction of a final stage shootout to decide rallies next season, but in a move set to shock the WRC, the plans were abandoned.

The FIA's communication from the WMSC meeting made no mention of the proposal and a spokesperson from the governing body told AUTOSPORT: "The proposal presented by the WRC Commission regarding the format of events was returned to the Commission for review."

The revised Powerstage plan has been at the heart of WRC Promoter's planned development for the world championship for more than a year, and it had received unanimous backing from the manufacturers in the series.

The drivers, however, had remained unconvinced.

ANALYSIS: WRC reacts to revamp rejection

The rejection of the proposal in its current form also leaves no decision on the running order for next year's series.

The intention had been to run the drivers in championship order for the first two days of WRC rounds before reversing the priority drivers' classification for the final day.

As revealed by AUTOSPORT earlier this week, world champion Sebastien Ogier had written to FIA president Jean Todt to outline his concerns about this rule change.

Next year's WRC calendar was formalised and, as expected, included no new events.

Speculation regarding a change of final round also proved wide of the mark as Rally GB remains in place.

2015 WRC CALENDAR

January 25 Monte Carlo Rally
February 15 Rally Sweden
March 8 Rally Mexico
April 19 Rally Argentina
May 24 Rally Portugal
June 14 Rally Italy
July 5 Rally Poland
August 2 Rally Finland
August 23 Rally Germany
September 13 Rally Australia
October 4 Rally France
October 25 Rally Spain
November 15 Rally GB

Dates listed are Sundays of event weekends - actual rally lengths, format and finish days may vary

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