Korean race cancelled.

The Champ Car World Series has officially announced that the inaugural Ansan Champ Car Grand Prix, which was due to take place next month in South Korea, has been put back to 2006.

Reports over the weekend suggested that the event could be at risk, and Champ Car has now confirmed that the 2005 running of the race will not take place, with a statement issued by the series saying that local promoter The Racing Korea 'caused this decision by a lack of operational preparation and failure to comply with contract requirements'.

"It is regrettable that we have to remove a race from what has been a very successful season," Champ Car World Series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven said. "But we believe that this decision will help build a stronger event in the long-term future. We remain focused on bringing our series to Asia and the Pacific Rim, and will continue to build toward our goal of conducting world-class events in these regions."

However, executive vice-president of development, governmental affairs and planning Joe Chrnelich added that he remained confident of the Ansan event taking its place on the previously released 2006 calendar.

"We made every effort to avoid this deferment and have been working very closely with the promoter as well as Mayor Song Jin Seop and the City of Ansan in finding a solution that would allow us to run this event as scheduled," he said. "We have a lot of equity in this market and there are many positive indicators, including interest from major title sponsors, a supportive mayor and a great circuit that is near completion.

"This demonstrates to us that we can have successful events in Ansan provided we show patience and continued confidence in the Korean marketplace, and we will."

With the Korean now officially cancelled, Sebastien Bourdais would almost automatically become the 2005 Champ Car World Series Champion, having only to start the remaining two races in Surfers Paradise and Mexico City to clinch the title - unless points for the Ansan event are split between the two races now left on the calendar.