Top FIA officials on mission to assess China's global pedigree

A posse of international motorsport (FIA) officials arrived here yesterday vested with the task of deciding whether the 555 China Rally will make its debut on the international stage next year.

The FIA-approved 'cloverleaf' rally was staged for the first time last year, also under the watchful gaze of international rally officials, and received top marks from rally commission president, Shekhar Mehta.

'When I came to look at your event last year I was encouraged by the standards achieved in such a short time,' Mehta said.

In the intervening 12 months, organisers have fine-tuned the event's 22 special stages totalling 383 kilometres in an effort to get the balance just right. Watching the event will be FIA technical delegate Jacques Berger, press delegate Piero Sodano and former rally commission president Guy Goutard, now an honorary FIA member.

Their reports will be tabled at a meeting of the rally commission in October where a tentative calendar for the 1999 season will be ironed out.

A ceiling of 14 events has been mooted by the FIA, which means an existing event may have to go to make way for the 555 China Rally.

FIA president Max Mosley is a strong supporter of China's presence on the international motorsport stage which strengthens the case for inclusion next year.