The Circuit of Ireland has been cancelled for 2017 after Event Director Bobby Willis revealed “funding uncertainty” around the race.
First held in 1931, the rally was last pulled in 2007 over a dispute between sponsors and race organisers before returning the following year.
Willis said that while the rally has yielded a positive financial return in recent years, there is too much risk involved in holding the race which was won last year by Craig Breen for the second successive year.
“I believe we have delivered an excellent return on investment for all our partners, with the substantial growth achieved in the last seven years,” he said.
“We have been working hard with all our funders to plan ahead for 2017 but regrettably at this point in time the financial resources required to deliver the event are still not in place.
“To run the Rally next year, in the current format, without the right resources and necessary planning period would be to do the Rally a gross disservice.
“I believe we cannot risk proceeding with the 2017 event at this point without financial certainty.”
Last year the global TV audience surpassed 40 million viewers.
