Mini set to announce wrc entry

[MrMetro]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85369

finally...

[jbmarcus21]

Mads Ostberg is announced to drive it .... and ?

[General Prim]

Mads Ostberg is announced to drive it .... and ?

Mads Ostberg?, well.... For sure there are much more competitive drivers out there!

[I am evil Homer]

Ostberg? Guess next year is a glorified test then - I know he's loyal to Prodrive and on his day a handy driver but unless that Mini is super, super fast he's never going to be a contender.

Nice to see it made official. We now have a contender for ugliest rally car since the SX4

[JFL]

We now have a contender for ugliest rally car since the SX4

Well, did you forget about all the other car that has been in the WRC for the last 5 years?..

[I am evil Homer]

Personally I think the C4 is a pretty decent looking rally car in Red Bull livery.

[jbmarcus21]

Do you remember ... Totalrally article (03/03/10)

"
Mark my Words, it’s Marcus!

03/03/2010
TotalRally

Speculation that Prodrive are on the verge of a dramatic return to the WRC with Mini reached fever pitch a couple of weeks ago with the appearance of David Richards and senior BMW execs at Rally Sweden. But what has been strangely lacking is the usual gossip and speculation surrounding who might get the golden seats with the mercurial DR and his band of merry motorsports men.

DR can be full of surprises and has very often in the past done the unexpected when it comes to driver choice. Petter Solberg’s defection from Ford to Subaru certainly surprised and upset Malcolm Wilson. Richard Burns proposed return to Prodrive in 2004 was unexpected because of the acrimonious nature of the split just a few years previously. And when Richard tragically couldn’t return to Subaru, his replacement Mikko Hirvonen had a few folk scratching their heads.

But this time round, if we are to believe the return of the Great Bearded One is imminent, then perhaps his scope to shock and surprise with driver choice is a little more limited.

BMW and Prodrive will not be entering the championship to play second fiddle to the entrenched podium sitters at Ford and Citroen. They will have one clear objective - to win rallies. And I think they will be looking to win from the off. So who is capable of delivering such a demanding objective?

One man and one man only, Marcus Gronholm.

OK, so he’s been out of practice for a few years. But his performance on day one of Rally Portugal last year where he was quickest in a dog of a car, and his recent outing in Sweden where he showed tantalising glimpses of his latent genius were enough to convince me that he can still mix it with the very best. Unlikely that a man of forty one could head up a manufacturer team you might say? Well I say who else?

Gronholm is quite literally a giant of the sport, and a giant of the motor industry such as BMW will demand a lead driver of some status. The only other available driver who could possibly challenge Gronholm for the seat is Petter Solberg, However, a Prodrive return for the mercurial Norwegian is a tantalising yet unlikely prospect.

The big question mark concerning a Gronholm return is not his appetite for the sport. I believe he is desperate for a return to top level competition after a somewhat uneasy semi retirement. The only valid question concerning Gronholm’s suitability for the role are his credentials as a test and development driver. At forty one years old Gronholm will have to put all his focus and energy into competing, and this is entirely understandable. So who develops and sets up the car? That’s where the choice of a second driver becomes crucial.

Two drivers instantly come to mind when looking at the requirements. You need someone who is quick and has the potential to win. But at the same time you need someone who will consistently bring your car home and score points. And critically, you need someone who is willing to put in the endless hours of testing and development needed to deliver a machine capable of winning rallies.

PG Anderson and Kris Meeke are the only two drivers of the current crop who I believe can fulfil all the above requirements. Both have exceptional track records when it comes to developing new cars. Both have raw speed. And both have the maturity to accept and excel in the position of number two driver to Gronholm.

So is it a done deal with the guys from BMW Mini and is a Prodrive return imminent? Well we all hope so. And if it is then I’d happily wager a bet that the return of the charismatic Gronholm is also very much on the cards.

But as mentioned earlier, DR is a complex and unpredictable character. So it’s perhaps best to expect the unexpected!"


What do you think about it ??
In your mind, The article is always of news??

[N.O.T]

nice fairytale...Marcus has nothing to offer to the sport anymore, especially with the mini, plus i don't think he wants a full program in the WRC again.

Lets see how the mini project goes....they need a miracle to be able to catch ford and citroen in the development of the new WRC.

[Rallyper]

How about Markko Märtin?

[koko0703]

Couple weeks ago, Autosports Japan reported Toyota is seeking to tie up with Prodrive in an attempt to come back to WRC but I guess that was just a rumor. Anyways, I will welcome Mini once it becomes official.