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Why Dave Richards withdrew Prodrive's entry… (5 posts)

Topic tags: Prodrive, WRC

Viewing post 1 to 5 (5 total posts)

jonnyw360f1 said 2 years, 9 months ago:

If I remember rightly, Dave Richards withdrew Prodrive’s entry in order to ‘focus on other projects’. I’m not sure how many of you follow WRC, but Prodrive have teamed up with BMW and Mini to return the Mini name to the 2011 World Championship:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorsport/7912992/MINI-set-to-return-to-world-rallying.html

However, what I’m more interested in is BMW Motorsport’s involvement. Even though their financial involvement will be minimal, I don’t see them as having much chance of beating the Fords or the Citroens next year. Be prepared for Mini to pull out at the end of next season…

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Steph90 said 2 years, 9 months ago:

I think this is good. I love the WRC, it’s my second favourite sport behind F1, but it desperately needs more than just Ford and Citroen. I don’t believe Ford and Citroen are the best esp not Ford. They aren’t being pushed in the same way.

With the rules etc changing in the WRC it may help Mini. I don’t think they will do much next year apart from get mileage and understand where they are at and what they have to do. I don’t think they’ll just up and leave though, I think they could really compete given some time.

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Prisoner Monkeys said 2 years, 9 months ago:

Well, MINI are doing a limited-run campaign for 2011 with a view to a full effort from 2012. And Saab have been tipped to enter their own limited-run season from 2012, possibly with a 9-1 or 9-2. The problem is that someone needs to be able to challenge Sebastien Loeb on a regular basis. I was hoping Ogier might defect to Ford to keep things interesting, but he’s staying with Citroen.

I’m also wondering what’s happened to Ken Block. I know the Monster WRC team was doing only selected events this year, but I haven’t heard boo from him of late. And with his early exit at X-Games 16, I have to wonder if he’s not simply one-hit wonder.

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wasiF1 said 2 years, 9 months ago:

Prodrive have experience in WRC with the Subaru team so I think that was a better choice by the team where we have experience other than a place which we don’t have any or little experience & cost money.

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Søren Kaae said 2 years, 9 months ago:

The problem with Prodrive’s entry was that customer cars were forbidden. Dave Richards told that he would not compete in an F1 car that was remarkably slower than the frontrunners, and so starting their own developement of such a car would be to expensive and so after their deal with McLaren being cancelled they withdrew their entry as they could not fullfill their goal.

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