Mini rally cars will make a historic return to Monte Carlo despite concerns over the future of the world championship.

Banbury motorsport firm Prodrive said it missed a deadline to enter the January race because it was waiting for issues with the race’s ownership to be resolved.

But it said it would be on the start line for the first race of the World Rally Championship (WRC) 2012 season – Mini’s first in the Monte Carlo since 1968.

There had been concern over the future of the title after Convers Sports Initiatives, the parent company of promoter North One, went into receivership.

Its backer, Vladimir Antonov, who stepped down as owner of Portsmouth Football Club last month, is facing extradition from the UK over allegations of asset stripping of Lithuania’s Snoras Bank.

The Mini team, now owned by BMW, famously won the five-day Monte Carlo rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967 but has not competed in world rallying since 1968.

Prodrive spokesman Ben Sayer said the Mini WRC team was in discussions with the sport’s governing body the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA).

While he would not comment on discussions, Mr Sayer said: “We are going to be in the championship next year and we will race in Monte Carlo.”

The deadline for entries for the January 17 to 22 race expired at midnight on Monday.

He said: “We haven’t put it in yet because we are just liaising with the FIA about the situation regarding the contract with the promoter for next year.

“It is very difficult with a big organisation like BMW to commit to a series where you are not sure where you stand.”

The FIA declined to comment but said a statement on the future of the championship would be made in the coming days.

Last July it was announced that the team was to return to the championship with its Mini John Cooper Works WRC car. This year it competed in six of the WRC’s 13 rounds, coming second in France and third in Germany, confounding some expectations that drivers would not make it onto the podium.

Mini’s return to rallying created about 50 jobs at Prodrive, based in Acorn Way.

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