2015 IRC Coffee Day Rally to be on the FIA Asia Cup calendar

This year's Indian Rally Championship (IRC) round at Chikmagluru, Karnataka has been announced as a part of the FIA Asia Cup calendar, which is a part of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

The Coffee Day Rally is scheduled to be held from December 11 to 13 and is unlikely to encounter the same problems with hosting a round of the Asia Cup as last year's event, which had to be moved from its April 25 to 27 date due to the logistical problems thrown up by the general elections.

Moving the Coffee Day Rally from April to December meant having to put off hosting the Asia Cup round, which would have seen the same Group N and Super 2000 machines that participate in the larger Asia Pacific Rally Championship that Gaurav Gill had won in 2013.

The Asia Cup is run as part of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship and consists of four rounds to be held in Malaysia, Japan, China and India, in that order.

“It’s a great New Year’s gift for not only the FMSCI, but also the entire nation," said R Bharat Raj, president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). "Getting a round of the Asia Cup is just a beginning as we endeavour to make India a preferred international Rally destination.

“We have been working on this for the past two years and successfully ran the 2013 Coffee Day Rally as a contender event for a round of the 2014 Asia Cup.

“Unfortunately, the dates allotted for the 2014 Asia Cup round coincided, first with General Elections and then with monsoon season. Hence we had to decline hosting the event last year.

“This year, we are happy that the dates allotted are in December well after the monsoon season and we are confident of putting up a good show.”