Marrakech race cancelled [updated]

The FIA World Touring Car Championship round at Marrakech in Morocco has been cancelled due to lack of financial support. The event was supposed to have taken place on the 3rd to 5th of June 2011.

The FIA released a statement today regarding the cancellation of the round, reading:

“The Marrakech round of the 2011 FIA WTCC initially scheduled on June 5th was withdrawn from the calendar at the request of the FIA Championship promoter as the local promoter was unable to commit to an agreement for the organisation of the event.”

WTCC has raced at Marrakech in Morocco since 2009 and series promotor Marcello Lotti expects a replacement round in central Europe to be ready in two weeks.

“Morocco is the only country in Africa today to host a world-class motorsport event. After all the hard work and the considerable infrastructure investments made by the local promoter and the Government, it is regrettable to see Marrakech dropped from the calendar. I know the organizers did all they could to avoid this sad decision. We are currently in negotiations with a couple of other racetracks in Central Europe to replace the event on the same date. We should be ready to announce the location of the fourth race meeting of the season in two weeks time,” said Lotti.