Nice video
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Nice video
https://ralli.ee/pierre-louis-loubet...stal-ei-jatka/
Translated by Google Translator:
Pierre-Louis Loubet: "Ford will probably not continue next year!"
Once again, the season has reached the point where M-Sport has to find funding and new tricks for next year to continue the road to the World Rally Championship with the Ford Puma Rally1.
Ott Tänak's teammate Pierre-Louis Loubet, who has been with M-Sport for the second year, admitted to the French publication that the situation of Malcolm Wilson's team is critical at the moment. According to the Frenchman, we will no longer find the M-Sport team on next year's WRC calendar.
"There will be only two teams in the WRC next year. We showed good speed, but Ford has little chance to continue in the World Championship. The teams must inform the FIA of their decision by the end of September at the latest, and then we will know more precisely. The promoter wants each team to add one car. Toyota already has four, and Hyundai could also put out a fourth in the best case scenario. Would I be in that scenario too? I don't know," said Loubet.
"Ford is now focusing on endurance rallying and has cut WRC funds. Ford has actually been the team's sponsor and partner all along, but he no longer invests as much as before," admitted the Corsican in an interview with a French newspaper.
Wow
Not a suprise, because this year was all or nothing and M-Sport failed badly. Ford is not interested anymore that kind of job. Their support has been much better than M-Sport wants to tell. Of course not enough and that´s why no chance against Hyundai and Toyota.
From Ford's side it would be totally understandable if they quit supporting.
Ofc budget wise M-Sport can't compete with Hyundai or Toyota, which means less staff, engineering, aero/technical updates etc..
But it doesn't mean they can't build a car that doesn't fall apart all the time(lately they can't even finish testing, SD or first stage without failing).
Let it be a bit slower, but reliable and able to finish rallies without stupid problems.
Although I really hope they stay.
FAKE NEWS
In case anyone missed it on the other thread, this not true and Loubet did not say this at all.
People need to calm down a bit. Ford participates in WRC since Day 1 and have been through all kinds of situations all these years. It's not their first bad season. Surely, the signing of Tanak created expectations that haven't been met. But, to go from a tough season to calling it a day is a big stretch, especially now that they're partnering with RB in a large scale (which icymi, is still WRC's promoter).