VW & Fiat in WRC

[WRCS14]

Hmm, I would have to agree but I think 4 is probably the correct amount. For quite a long time we had Ford, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota. This worked well as all teams had a good base car with a chance of winning.

Then upon the change to World Rally Cars Seat were one of the first "new" manufacturers to come in, enjoyed little success and were gone again by 2000, one of the biggest years for car sales ever seen at that point in most countries. No success equals no point in competing, this is a hard fact.

We should not all forget there was a very very big gap in new manufactures coming into the WRC untill Suzuki in 2007.

Fiat seem to be in a strong position of late in Europe and are definite candidates. VAG, different story, lot of turbulence at the moment including the Porsche saga. VAG have much some very expensive motorsport participation at present, I am not so sure where their future is in the WRC.

[Motorsportfun]

Fiat seem to be in a strong position of late in Europe and are definite candidates. VAG, different story, lot of turbulence at the moment including the Porsche saga. VAG have much some very expensive motorsport participation at present, I am not so sure where their future is in the WRC.

Think also about the Dakar. With the withdrawal of Mitsubishi, he left the unique works team in rally raids, as BMW is a privateer. Don't think they want to be alone there. They also reduced by at least a year their programmes during the other rally-raids...

[Barreis]

I would like to see VW brand in WRC..

[GigiGalliNo1]

I would like to see VW brand in WRC..

Prefer Skoda to be back in. But they're in IRC.

[Motorsportfun]

Prefer Skoda to be back in. But they're in IRC.

This is not a problem, 'cause the programme is financed by the sells of Fabias S2000 (as Mirek said some days ago). Just like Peugeot does with 207.

[GigiGalliNo1]

More official BS from WRC.com

Q&A with Neil Duncanson

"What’s the next step?

When the economy starts to come back, we will already be ahead of the game in quite a big way. I would like another couple of manufacturers in the WRC, there’s no questions about that - but I don’t want any more than four. When we came in as a television partner in 2000, there were seven manufacturers and I don’t think that was effective at all. Beyond the fourth manufacturer, the other three didn’t stand a chance of winning a rally - or even coming close to a podium and I don’t think that was particularly healthy for those manufacturers. So, I think four and a lot of customer teams to keep the championship competitive is ideal."

Having more cars in the championship brings out more drivers and sponsors + money don't you think? Isn't that a positive? People will still follow the guys down the leader board as they do now... well I think some of us still do. Still good to see the guys fighting for 5th, 6th, 7th and so on in positions!

If the company who broadcast the coverage of each round would keep it fair instead of it being a Loeb show as he was always leading and show only 5 seconds of the guys down the leader board ie Henning with Expert and the other privateers, then THAT is not fair. Pathetic. So work something out I say.. or loose the fun, exciting sport the WRC use to be...

Ok, I understand and understood that back in the 90's yes, it was only Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi and.... there was one more but it was more exciting back then, and the sport hasn't grown to what it is now, or was in 2000-2003 then I guess the sport started to die out, money, cars, drivers, not able to get anything (someone correct me if the years are wrong).

Take me back to then and i'd love it!

[mdesign]

Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi and... toyota

[jimakos]

Prefer Skoda to be back in. But they're in IRC.

Me too!
I want to see skoda again in wrc,I trust these guys
But I'm glad to see and vw in rallies!They can support completely a new car and his driver!

[grugsticles]

Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi and... toyota

Ah the good old days of Group A