Several leading drivers were caught speeding on this year's Rally GB

Motorsport's governing body, the FIA, opted at a meeting on Friday not to carry through a threat to downgrade the event to non-championship status.

But its place is subject to the FIA approving the organisers' report.

Its future has been in doubt since leading drivers were convicted of speeding at this year's event.

The report will focus on "issues relating to road safety and use of speed cameras", according to a statement from Rally GB organiser the MSA.

Around 200,000 spectators turned out to watch this year's season ending Wales Rally GB.

The event - which was being staged in Wales for the third successive year - brought an estimated �15m to the local economy.

Last month, Neath Magistrates convicted 17 rally drivers of speeding during the rally in 2002.

They included Britain's former world champions Colin McCrae and Richard Burns, who were both had three penalty points imposed on their licences.

South Wales Police had launched a crackdown on speeding, and had caught the drivers as they travelled on public roads between the timed special stages.

The convictions led the FIA to suggest that the roads of south Wales were unsuitable for a world championship event, and that it should be downgraded.

Last month, organisers said there was "no question" of the event being threatened by the crackdown on speeding.

The FIA asked for a report on whether Welsh roads are "suitable" for a world championship event following the court cases.

But Andrew Coe, chief executive of Rally GB Ltd, said the FIA had given it an assurance that it was "delighted with the quality of the organisation of the event in Wales".

World Rally Championship calendar 2004:

January 23-25 Monte Carlo
February 6-8 Sweden
March 12-14 Mexico
April 16-18 New Zealand
May 14-16 Cyprus
June 4-6 Greece (Acropolis)
June 25-27 Turkey
July 16-18 Argentina
August 6-8 Finland
August 20-22 Germany
September 3-5 Japan
September 17-19 Britain *
October 1-3 Italy (Sardinia)
October 15-17 France (Corsica)
October 29-31 Spain
November 12-14 Australia

* British Rally subject to the receipt of a satisfactory report regarding the safety of roads in South Wales.