The World Motor Sport Council met in Paris on 26 March 2008. The following decisions were taken:

FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The WMSC appointed the Management Committee for the Motor Sport Safety Development Fund, the body which will distribute the $60 million from the McLaren-Mercedes fine, for the benefit of motor sport worldwide. The Committee will control the Fund under the administration of the FIA Foundation.

The appointed members to the Committee are Max Mosley and Michael Schumacher (both FIA Foundation Trustees), Nick Craw, President of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (representing National Sporting Associations), Jean Todt and Norbert Haug (from Ferrari and Mercedes as the manufacturers involved in the incident that gave rise to the original fine).

The intention is to disperse the Fund over the next five years and to concentrate activities on a Young Driver Safety Scholarship Programme, an Officials Skills Safety Training Programme and a Facility Safety Improvement Consultancy Programme.

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

With immediate effect, the restriction on parts will be eased for new manufacturers in their first year of entering the Championship. A new manufacturer may ask the FIA for a waiver to use two additional engines without penalty, and a change of parts, as described in the Sporting Regulations.

The new technical regulations for the future World Rally Car will become effective from 2011. The WRC Car will be based on the current Super 2000 and Group N cars, fitted with a supplementary kit, which includes turbo and rear-wing additions. The kit must be able to be fitted or removed within a defined time limit, to be determined.

The current World Rally Car regulations will be extended to include the 2010 World Rally Championship, subject to technical controls. The new World Rally Car will be permitted to compete from 2009 and score points in the Championship from 2010.

The Japanese and British rounds of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship will now take place on 31 October to 2 November (Japan Rally) and 5 to 7 December (Wales Rally GB).

From 1 January 2009, winning co-drivers in the FIA Junior and Production Car World Rally Championships will be awarded a world title.

CROSS-COUNTRY RALLY

The Por Las Pampas Rally, traditionally organised by the Argentine national sporting association, will now be run in combination with the Brazilian national sporting association, with legs in both countries. It will take place from 18 to 28 June 2008 and represents the first time that the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup will visit Brazil.

RALLYING

For the 2008 African Rally Championship, the KCB Safari Rally will now take place on 27 to 29 June and the Zambia Rally from 25 to 27 July.

CALENDAR

The WMSC approved calendars for a number of international series and national championships with foreign events, including the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, Eurocup Megane Trophy and GT4 European Cup.