WRC 2012 - Bye Bye Mini?
Discussion
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97275
The BMW Group is expected to terminate its contract with Prodrive tomorrow, ending the Banbury firm's involvement in the Mini World Rally Team - and casting doubt over the future of the programme.
AUTOSPORT's sources have confirmed the decision to end the Anglo-German alliance.
AUTOSPORT has been unable to get confirmation from BMW in Munich, but sources within the firm have confirmed the end is imminent for what has been a short and unhappy partnership.
"There was a chance this might have happened last year," said the source, "but in the end it was decided to wait until after Monte Carlo. The decision has now been taken at board level and will be communicated in due course."
Prodrive's Richard Taylor denied the partnership would be ended when AUTOSPORT contacted him yesterday.
Taylor said: "That's news to me. There's no question of that, no question at all. The team is on its way to Sweden for the pre-event test as we speak. Mini remains committed to the programme and to supporting customers.
"We all want to see the Mini John Cooper Works WRC out there on the stages and that's what we will see with Prodrive running the cars on Rally Sweden next week."
The team is on its way to Sweden, but AUTOSPORT's sources state this will not stop tomorrow's announcement.
Almost since the team was launched in April last year, there has been unease between BMW and Prodrive concerning the financing of the programme, to the extent that Mini WRT had to shelve plans to run two official drivers this season - leaving Kris Meeke on the bench.
There is speculation that BMW is ready to hand the project over to an Italian preparation firm or quit the whole programme altogether.
Drivers Dani Sordo and Meeke were unavailable for comment when contacted by AUTOSPORT.
Not good news for anybody.
The BMW Group is expected to terminate its contract with Prodrive tomorrow, ending the Banbury firm's involvement in the Mini World Rally Team - and casting doubt over the future of the programme.
AUTOSPORT's sources have confirmed the decision to end the Anglo-German alliance.
AUTOSPORT has been unable to get confirmation from BMW in Munich, but sources within the firm have confirmed the end is imminent for what has been a short and unhappy partnership.
"There was a chance this might have happened last year," said the source, "but in the end it was decided to wait until after Monte Carlo. The decision has now been taken at board level and will be communicated in due course."
Prodrive's Richard Taylor denied the partnership would be ended when AUTOSPORT contacted him yesterday.
Taylor said: "That's news to me. There's no question of that, no question at all. The team is on its way to Sweden for the pre-event test as we speak. Mini remains committed to the programme and to supporting customers.
"We all want to see the Mini John Cooper Works WRC out there on the stages and that's what we will see with Prodrive running the cars on Rally Sweden next week."
The team is on its way to Sweden, but AUTOSPORT's sources state this will not stop tomorrow's announcement.
Almost since the team was launched in April last year, there has been unease between BMW and Prodrive concerning the financing of the programme, to the extent that Mini WRT had to shelve plans to run two official drivers this season - leaving Kris Meeke on the bench.
There is speculation that BMW is ready to hand the project over to an Italian preparation firm or quit the whole programme altogether.
Drivers Dani Sordo and Meeke were unavailable for comment when contacted by AUTOSPORT.
Not good news for anybody.
Jerry Can said:
an object lesson in how not to handle BMW.
There is one thing worse than than asking them for money, and that's slagging them off when they don't give it you.
deeply disappointing, and an own goal for all concerned.
Indeed, although after the BMW F1 shenanigans I do wonder whether BMW is particularly poor in their relations with companies like auber and Prodrive.There is one thing worse than than asking them for money, and that's slagging them off when they don't give it you.
deeply disappointing, and an own goal for all concerned.
DanDC5 said:
The WRC has been a farce now for the last few years what with minimal manufacturer involvement and the introduction of the new 1.6 turbo cars making it a pretty boring spectacle imo. This is the icing on the cake now, just as things were starting to look positive.
Whilst the technology has allowed the drivers to take a more direct/ tidier line through the stage, that's just progress, and I'd hardly call this "boring". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8BsFdX84AI
vtgts300kw said:
Whilst the technology has allowed the drivers to take a more direct/ tidier line through the stage, that's just progress, and I'd hardly call this "boring".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8BsFdX84AI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GUCMelQH8chttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8BsFdX84AI
No more needs to be said really. The WRC is now boring.
DanDC5 said:
The WRC has been a farce now for the last few years what with minimal manufacturer involvement and the introduction of the new 1.6 turbo cars making it a pretty boring spectacle imo. This is the icing on the cake now, just as things were starting to look positive.
Agree with your comments. The WRC cars now have no real direct correlation with the road cars any more. They are all purpose built specials.Group B cars were just dangerous, but the 1992-2005 were the best years for me in rallying. Subaru, Mitsubishi, Toyota. Now its just citroen and ford.
WRC has in the same situation as F1 a few years back when schumacher dominated.
Hartge220 said:
Be a real shame if it happens.
What have Prodrive done to pi55 Bmw off?
maybe not much - ask them to stump up enough money to run 2 cars?What have Prodrive done to pi55 Bmw off?
Could just be BMW have realised a bit late what a money pit DTM is going to be so are doing a cut and run from anything else they can.
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