The 2015 Rally of Otago has received a financial boost with the Dunedin City Council increasing their funding of the rally for next year.

The council’s support of the event has risen by $5000, to $35,000, once again highlighting the rally’s standing as one of Dunedin’s major events.

“The increased funding from Dunedin City Council is fantastic news,” Rally of Otago spokesman, Roger Oakley, said.

“The popularity of the rally is increasing every year, and this enables us to showcase Dunedin and the Otago region to more and more people – particularly those from overseas.

“We’re very grateful for the continued support, and look forward to growing the event even further in 2015.”

Widely regarded as the premier classic rally in the Southern Hemisphere, the Rally of Otago is also a round of the New Zealand Rally Championship.

Former World Rally Champions such as Hannu Mikkola, Juha Kankkune, Bjorn Waldegard and Ari Vatanen have all contested the rally in recent years, while two-time champion, Italy’s Didier Auriol, was the guest driver in 2014.