South Africa Leading Competition for 2013 WRC Round

There will be a round added to the World Rally Championship next season, and at the moment South Africa is leading the competition to be the next round of the WRC. The other possibility is Brazil, however it appears that South Africa is far more prepared to host the round next year. 

The South African round of the WRC would be headquartered around Durban. Seppo Harjanne who is a multi-championship winning WRC co-driver for  Timo Salonen and Tommi Mäkinen has worked with South African officials to decide the route. Harjanne also decides the route at the Rally Finland. 

South Africa is the more likely location because the route and infrastructure is in place. 

Brazil still has not set a location for the rally with possibilities being in Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. WRC manage Michele Mouton was in Brazil working with officials to look into infrastructure and possible routes. She won the last international rally in Brazil in 1982 in an Audi Quattro. 

There is not much time left to make a decision. The calendar will be under discussion at the WRC commission meeting on May 9, and it will be finalized during the World Motor Sport Council meeting in June.