The FIA World Motor Sport Council has announced a 13-round

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has announced a 13-round calendar for the 2011 World Rally Championship season, starting in Sweden and ending in Great Britain, following a fax vote of its members.
“A 14th event could be added to calendar,” stated a press release from the FIA: the governing body of world motor sport. “This would be approved by the WMSC on 23 June at the latest.”
The rally dates below are listed by the Sunday of each event, although organisers will once more have the possibility to run outside of the established Friday-Saturday-Sunday format next year.
13 February: Sweden
06 March: Mexico
27 March: Portugal
17 April: Jordan
08 May: Italy
29 May: Argentina
19 June: Greece
31 July: Finland
21 August: Germany
11 September: Australia
02 October: France
23 October: Spain
13 November: Great Britain
source wrc.com

Novikov, WRC

Novikov, who started competing as a 15-year-old, forged a reputation as being blisteringly fast but frequently prone to error during his maiden season of World Rally Car competition in 2009.

Despite his tender age - he was 18 at the time - and lack of experience, Novikov nevertheless impressed during an eight-round campaign in a Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC, scoring a career-best fifth place in Sardinia.

Novikov began his competition career in karting aged 10 and his programme took him to France and

Germany. At the same time his father had developed an interest in rallying and started taking lessons from Russian champion Alexei Vosiliev, which had a huge impact on Evgeny’s eventual career choice.

But Novikov Jr’s real passion remained behind the wheel and when he was old enough - 15 - he entered the Russian Rally Cup series in a Mitsubishi Lancer. He was running second until his father pulled over to let him win his first event. The title followed even though he had to rely on his navigator to drive on road sections because he was under the legal driving age in Russia.

Nationality:Russian
Date of Birth:19 Sep 90
Car:Ford Fiesta RS WRC
Co-driver:Stephane Prevot
WRC Debut:Great Britain 2007

Sebastien Ogier has ended Sebastien Loeb's run of victories in the world championship by winning the Acropolis Rally.

Ogier, whose last win in the WRC was on the Jordan Rally two months ago, got the better of his Citroen team-mate Loeb following a close battle that raged up until the event-closing Power Stage. Loeb had won the previous two rounds in Argentina and Italy.
It was the third time this season that Ogier, the Junior world champion in 2008, and co-driver Julien Ingrassia have triumphed in the WRC and means that Citroen has now won the last six rounds of the series.
Loeb settled for second - and his 100th WRC podium - in the overall standings with title rival Mikko Hirvonen close behind in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
Juho Hanninen clinched victory in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship category in his Red Bull Skoda Fabia.source by wrc