Tuesday 20th December 2011

Mini misses 2012 WRC deadline

It's a mini disaster (groan) as Prodrive team fails to sign up for next year's WRC

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"Quick - the post office shuts in 10 minutes!"

The Mini rally team - run by Banbury-based Prodrive - has missed the deadline to sign up for the 2012 World Rally Championship, which closed last night.

According to autosport.com, officials from Prodrive are in (presumably deeply embarrassing) talks with BMW HQ in Germany and the FIA in order to get the deadline extended.

This is a deeply awkward moment for the fledgling WRC team, which is aiming for a full-on assault on the WRC after participating in selected championship events this year as part of a development programme.

Most awkward of all is the fact that the first round of the 2012 championship is the Monte Carlo rally - the scene of some famous victories for Mini in the 1960s and an event that the team, and BMW, are evidently keen not to miss.

"We have made two podiums already in the development year, we can't fail but to be very happy with what we are achieving," a Mini source told Autosport. "There are a few things to talk about and time has beaten us on the deadline, but the cars will be in Monte Carlo - we couldn't miss the Mini's return to that rally."

We only have two words for you on this: Oh. Dear.

Update:

Prodrive have just been on the phone. They assure us that Mini and Prodrive will be at Monte Carlo - and the rest of the 2012 season.

They are currently wrangling with the FIA to sort their entry.

They did, however, express some concern over the promotion of the sport - essentially they need to know that there will be TV coverage. Understandable when you're investing millions of pounds on what is in essence a marketing programme

[Denorth]

there were rumours that after signing in to DTM, BMW cut the whole package for rally program and Mini was left with little or no money at all.

it looks now as if it was true. very sad if it is.

[Fleckers]

pity as I would have loved to see the Mini giving it large on the rally stages of the world

Nice flying car shot as well

[ellisd82]

lol, oh well. Considering Rally is all about timing, these guys have lost already. How can they miss a deadline. Its there and they either can acheive it or not.

[Riggers]

ellisd82 said:

lol, oh well. Considering Rally is all about timing, these guys have lost already. How can they miss a deadline. Its there and they either can acheive it or not.

Apparently there are 'issues' between BMW and Prodrive, but both still want to commit to a full 2012 programme.

Suppose it depends how nice the FIA are feeling...

[patmahe]

How does a professional experienced wrc team like prodrive allow that to happen? I'm assuming its not as simple as a form filling exercise, but even so not doing it correctly jeopradises the entire project. If I was bmw management I'd be asking serious questions.

[Riggers]

patmahe said:

How does a professional experienced wrc team like prodrive allow that to happen? I'm assuming its not as simple as a form filling exercise, but even so not doing it correctly jeopradises the entire project. If I was bmw management I'd be asking serious questions.

I suspect it might be something to do with said BMW management, actually (but that's just my suspicion - I have no actual 'evidence' to back that up...)

[Rude-boy]

patmahe said:

How does a professional experienced wrc team like prodrive allow that to happen?

By design.

DR and his boys are not stupid.

They will have missed this after a conversation along the lines of

"So are you going to commit to the £Xmill for this year or not Herr BMW."

"Vee vill have to vait and cee, viv das Euro und de DTM ve have our concerns."

"We'll take that as a no then. By the way if you want us to enter we have to lodge the forms by midnight on the 19th so we'll need your SWIFT transfer of £1.5m for the fees and stage payments to date by noon on that date."

[Munich]

Denorth said:

there were rumours that after signing in to DTM, BMW cut the whole package for rally program and Mini was left with little or no money at all.

it looks now as if it was true. very sad if it is.

I read this in the press too, which is why we haven't heard anything official from BMW in the press recently - they have just stopped talking about it (hoping we would forget?).

IMO a real shame, especially if it due to DTM. I mean, how inward looking does BMW want to be if it is only prepared to support DTM, which is primarily a German market motor-sport series.

[ArnageWRC]

Riggers said:

ellisd82 said:

lol, oh well. Considering Rally is all about timing, these guys have lost already. How can they miss a deadline. Its there and they either can acheive it or not.

Apparently there are 'issues' between BMW and Prodrive, but both still want to commit to a full 2012 programme.

Suppose it depends how nice the FIA are feeling...

It's a simple issue really. BMW haven't provided enough funding for a proper WRC effort!!
Saying that, I think Dave Richards is waiting to see which way the Promoter decision goes before signing up. Can't say I blame him.

[Munich]

ArnageWRC said:

Riggers said:

ellisd82 said:

lol, oh well. Considering Rally is all about timing, these guys have lost already. How can they miss a deadline. Its there and they either can acheive it or not.

Apparently there are 'issues' between BMW and Prodrive, but both still want to commit to a full 2012 programme.

Suppose it depends how nice the FIA are feeling...

It's a simple issue really. BMW haven't provided enough funding for a proper WRC effort!!
Saying that, I think Dave Richards is waiting to see which way the Promoter decision goes before signing up. Can't say I blame him.

"Promoter decision". Doesn't DR own the promotion rights to WRC?

[anonymous-user]

Don't worry, you can be 100% sure this "missed deadline" has everything to do with BMW/Prodrive politics and absolutely nothing to do with simply forgeting/missing the deadline............ ;-)

[Evil.soup]

If they do want back in then the FIA would be mad not to open the door for them because the sport needs the variety of marks to get back to its former glory. Its been great watching something different for a change fighting for the 1st spot.

[Henry Fiddleton]

This has all the hallmarks of the British underdog. Think Brawn.

Provide just have to beat the French, and the cough English ford effort.

[SC00P]

I have two questions.

1) Is this just that Mini has missed the deadline to enter the manufacturers' championship?

2) How much does it cost for a manufacturer to officially enter the manufacturers' championship?

If it costs £1 million to enter, you only get a return on that if you win the manufacturer title and then spend extra on advertising.

Just look at the BTCC - several manufacturers support teams there, but don't officially enter the championship because they don't see the point.

[Baryonyx]

BMW have probably done this on purpose, to avoid being shown up by Citroën and Ford!

[Denorth]

Munich said:

"Promoter decision". Doesn't DR own the promotion rights to WRC?

answer is 'no'. Promoting rights for WRC are owned by the company of Mr. Antonov (Spyker, Bowler, that company on Coventry that I don't remember correct name), also bank Snoras that was nationalized due to financial fraud. Mr. Antonov was arrested and let out on bail...

Well. we got the picture

[rev-erend]

It's a mini disaster

[ArnageWRC]

Denorth said:

Munich said:

"Promoter decision". Doesn't DR own the promotion rights to WRC?

answer is 'no'. Promoting rights for WRC are owned by the company of Mr. Antonov (Spyker, Bowler, that company on Coventry that I don't remember correct name), also bank Snoras that was nationalized due to financial fraud. Mr. Antonov was arrested and let out on bail...

Well. we got the picture

Though he did do when he bought ISC (who became NorthOneSport) off Bernie....

[academygaz]

Denorth said:

Munich said:

"Promoter decision". Doesn't DR own the promotion rights to WRC?

answer is 'no'. Promoting rights for WRC are owned by the company of Mr. Antonov (Spyker, Bowler, that company on Coventry that I don't remember correct name), also bank Snoras that was nationalized due to financial fraud. Mr. Antonov was arrested and let out on bail...

Well. we got the picture

North One. Its looking for a buyer, has cash for the short term and the FIA are putting together a contingency plan should they have to be liquidated.

[MrKipling43]

rev-erend said:

It's a mini disaster

You were beaten to the PUNch by the standfirst, old boy.