LONDON -- Motorsport's world governing body has questioned the Rally of Britain's future after top drivers were fined for speeding on public roads during last year's event.

"Road safety is a matter of the utmost importance to the FIA," a spokesman for the International Automobile Federation said on Tuesday after a magistrates court fined four former champions on Monday.

The targeting of 17 rally drivers, including former champions Colin McRae and Richard Burns of Britain along with Spain's Carlos Sainz and Finland's Tommi Makinen, made front page news in Britain.

"The actions of the police and magistrates seem to indicate that this is an exceptionally dangerous location for a rally," said the FIA spokesman.

"The FIA has therefore asked its safety delegate for a report on the suitability of the local public roads for a World Championship event."

The rally, which is due to move from its season-ending November slot to September next year, is sponsored by the Welsh Development Agency for the next three years. The 2003 event finished on Sunday.

The timed special stages in south and central Wales are held on Forestry Commission land but drivers have to use public roads and motorways to get to them from the service park and rally headquarters.

Belgian Freddy Loix was fined 1,750 pounds ($2,925) and banned for six months from driving in Britain after being caught seven times in just one morning.

Germany's Armin Schwarz was also banned for six months and fined 1,000 pounds ($1,670) while McRae and Burns were both fined 150 pounds ($250).

"The area where these offences happened is particularly dangerous for people to exceed the speed limit under any circumstances," British media quoted magistrates chairman Cliff Jones as saying.

The rally is confirmed for 2004. But it has been investigated by the FIA's safety delegate before and was initially listed on the 2003 calendar as provisional pending an observer's report into spectator safety.

Thirteen people, mostly volunteer marshals, were hurt when Sainz's car went into the crowd in the 2001 rally.

Finland's Marcus Gronholm also criticised what he saw as heavy-handed policing on this year's event after being forced to retire by officers who would not allow him to continue on public roads in his damaged Peugeot.

"An escort service might have been a better solution," said the 2000 and 2002 world champion.