[WRC] News & rumours (part II)

[rp]

Very bad decision by Ford!

Last year they made the contract with M-Sport and it was clear that it will cover both the season 2012 and 2013. Once again it was showed that you can never trust anything in the motorsport.

It has to be remember that Ford´s financial support to M-Sport has been very weak and it is impossible to beat Citroën if resources are not in the same level. Same would have been with Volkswagen in the future.

But if M-Sport is able to find good sponsors it will be possible to repeat the story of the season 1981. Ford had pulled out after the season 1979 and David Sutton Cars continued privately with the backing from Rothmans.

Mikkola was 2nd WRC for Drivers during the season 1980 and Vatanen won the WRC title in 1981. The one and only real private team to win the Championship (I do not count Kronos/Loeb. The car was from Citroën Racing) and still the last time Ford driver has won the title.

It is possible that history will repeat itself. Now M-Sport only need one Finnish driver to lead the private team! And if Latvala has signed with VW they is another driver to be ready...

[noel157]

Maybe not a lot will change for 2013. M-Sport will still enter with current cars, ok, they may be pushed down to P3 but.......

[Barreis]

M-sport sucks.

[EightGear]

A far as I understand, it is not certain M-Sport will be there next year. But my God I do hope it. And hopefully with two strong drivers!

*Fingers crossed!*

[T.Maanteiden kuningas]

Lot of laughing!

Everyone was complaining and criticizing FORD and M-SPORT. Now maybe both are gone and there is people crying after them...

Carry on.

[EightGear]

Lot of laughing!

Everyone was complaining and criticizing FORD and M-SPORT. Now maybe both are gone and there is people crying after them...

Carry on.

The difference is you only care about the Holy Finns, the rest of us care about the sport itself...

[T.Maanteiden kuningas]

Finns are not HOLY but otherwise I AGREE. Me ollaan vaan kännissä. We are just drunk.

[wrc1600]

We going back to old times where there were no factory teams, if Citroen withdraws next year for WTCC sake then WRC is done. It will be more like DIY WRC...

[RS]

But if M-Sport is able to find good sponsors

The key word there is if. Realistically I don't think there is any company willing to throw the kind of money away to support an entire WRC campaign for two top level drivers. The best they can hope for is maybe a couple of pay drivers like Ostberg scraping together some kind of programme, but even then I don't think they would have enough money to keep up. Look at Prodrive, they have already started to fall back in pace judging by Sordo's performance in France.

[darkstar]

i dont think its that bad. m sport shurely will be there next season, maybe with less money but that´s it. who know´s, maybe they come back again for 2014 then.