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Rift with DOI forces Cancellation of Rally Isle of Man

Mon, 03 Sep 2018

Organisers of this year's Rally Isle of Man say they had no choice but to cancel this year's event.

The rally was scheduled to take place between Thursday 13th and Saturday 15th September.

The event is held on public roads which are closed for racing by government legislation. Organisers said they have seen delays in securing the order from the Department of Infrastructure.

A DOI spokesperson told Energy FM: "The Department of Infrastructure, together with other Departments, has tried hard to get Rally Isle of Man to start planning its rally event earlier. Despite repeated opportunities, Rally Isle of Man missed all of the original deadlines for its paperwork and indeed the extended deadlines."

The 2018 event was to be a qualifying round of nine major championships, including the British Rally Championship (BRC).

The Rally organisers have hit back at the DOI and said that the delays and statements by the DOI have caused a low uptake in those wishing to enter the event this year. The doubt cast has meant that people simply haven't entered the event due to the uncertainty.

The Rally organisers also refuted the claims they had not met deadlines and sais that their draft proposals were submitted to the DOI in December 2017.

 

 

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