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Wales Rally GB welcomes expanded UK television coverage on channel 5

Confirmation today (Friday) that Channel 5 will broadcast television coverage of the FIA World Rally Championship has been enthusiastically welcomed by International Motor Sports Limited, organiser of Wales Rally GB (27-30 October), Britain's round the globe-trotting WRC.

Channel 5, which replaces ITV4 as the WRC's terrestrial TV partner in the UK, will provide the most comprehensive free-to-air coverage of the WRC in Britain for many years. Starting with this month's Monte Carlo Rally, it will screen a pre-event magazine programme plus an action-packed, hour-long post-event show from all 14 rounds.

Additionally, Channel 5 will be airing extra coverage of Wales Rally GB. It will screen daily highlights programmes throughout the event as well as live coverage of the all-important Power Stage.

"This is really great news for both Wales Rally GB and the vast number of dedicated rally fans here in the UK," enthused Ben Taylor, Managing Director of Wales Rally GB. "Top class rallying is one of the world's most dramatic sports and Channel 5's commitment will allow UK viewers to follow more of the action as the WRC builds towards the legendary Welsh forests at the end of October. What's more, the extended coverage confirmed for Wales Rally GB is another big boost for an event that continues to build on recent successes."

Free-to-air WRC programming on Channel 5 will be supplemented by renewed deals with BT Sport and S4C. As the WRC's Pay TV partner in the UK, BT Sport will cover all the action from every event including the Magazine show, daily and event highlights and live action from all 14-rounds, while the well-established Ralio+ show on S4C will be following the WRC for Welsh language audiences.