The Intercontinental Rally Challenge has announced a 12-round calendar for 2011, with classic former World Rally Championship event the Tour de Corse and Hungary's Mecsek Rallye joining the schedule.
With the WRC's French round moving to a new location in Alsace instead, the popular Corsican rally will become part of the IRC, running from May 6-8 next year. The IRC is also staying in Argentina, despite Rally Argentina rejoining the WRC schedule, and will make the country's Rally de los Alerces an IRC event instead.
Brazil's Rally Curitiba has been dropped for 2011, while Sardinia is not available as it is back in the WRC instead. All the other 2010 IRC rallies will remain, with the series again kicking off in Monte Carlo in January.
"The IRC continues to go from strength and the addition of two new territories to the calendar, Corsica and Hungary, will ensure the interest and excitement is maintained when the IRC turns five in 2011," said the IRC's general manager Marcello Lotti. "Both events are uncharted territory for the IRC but both enjoy significant public interest and this will only multiply when they play host to the IRC.
"We hope that confirmation of these new events plus more groundbreaking live television coverage will be just some of the highlights on offer in next season's Intercontinental Rally Challenge."
Provisional 2011 IRC schedule:
January 19-22 (Monaco): Rallye Monte Carlo (Asphalt)
March 4-6 (Argentina): Rally de los Alerces (Gravel)
April 14-16 (Spain): Rally Islas Canarias (Asphalt)
May 6-8 France): Tour de Corse (Asphalt)
June 23-25(Belgium): Geko Ypres Rally (Asphalt)
July 14-16(Portugal): Sata Rallye Acores (Gravel)
August 4-6 (Portugal): Rali Vinho Madeira (Asphalt)
August 26-28 (Czech Republic): Barum Czech Rally Zlin (Asphalt)
September 9-11 (Hungary): Mecsek Rallye (Asphalt/gravel)
September 22-24 (Italy): Rallye Sanremo (Asphalt)
October 14-16 (Scotland): RACMSA Rally of Scotland (Gravel)
November 3-5 (Cyprus): Cyprus Rally (Gravel)