Ford is withdrawing from WRC!

[Arganil]

Quinn said on facebook, ford will do now Global X-Games and Global Rallycross Championship

I don't get it. Wasn't Ford WRC programme financed by Ford Europe? Strange to see Ford Racing engagements in USA using the european filial funds, especially when Ford is desperate to improve sales in europe.

As someone said before, WRC quiting decision probably is due to marketing reasons and not necessary due to motorsport adjustments in Ford Racing range.

I also think that only a bunch of white collars would let escape Ford's huge chances to win drivers and manus 2013 wrc titlles!

Nevertheless, every rally fan should thanks Ford WRC involvement over the years, especially last seasons efforts to fight Citroen dominance, providing entertaining duels with french rivals that otherwise would turn into boring solo displays.

[stefanvv]

Nevertheless, every rally fan should thanks Ford WRC involvement over the years, especially last seasons efforts to fight Citroen dominance, providing entertaining duels with french rivals that otherwise would turn into boring solo displays.

Indeed!

[RS]

Fantastic news IMHO. I hate to sound like N.O.T, but M-Sport were a sick dog team that needed to be put down. With how many years they've been in the WRC what do they have to show for it? Sod all.

Not sure if I agree with that. The car is capable of winning, but their biggest problem has been Loeb (or rather that their drivers couldn't match him)

[Maui J.]

Fantastic news IMHO. I hate to sound like N.O.T, but M-Sport were a sick dog team that needed to be put down. With how many years they've been in the WRC what do they have to show for it? Sod all.

What a stupid single minded response.
M-Sport has fielded cars in the WRC for 16 years, they have won 2 manufacturers championship for Ford, won 50 odd events, and on top of that have entertained us, the spectators/fans.
There is a saying that I'm sure you know, "The cream always rises to the top". This applies to drivers and also businesses. There are hundreds of private rally teams/businesses, but only a few are trusted with running an out-sourced WRC programme on behalf of a manufacturer. What M-Sport has achieved with Ford (and Prodrive with Subaru) shows that they are the cream.
Sure it is always going to be difficult to compete on a level footing with in-house teams like Citroen with seemingly unlimited budgets, but what they have done should be applauded and not ridiculed.

[Mirek]

Nevertheless, every rally fan should thanks Ford WRC involvement over the years, especially last seasons efforts to fight Citroen dominance, providing entertaining duels with french rivals that otherwise would turn into boring solo displays.

I would like to point how it was when PSA was loosing in the IRC. They just quit and killed the championship. Ford could have done the same in previous years but they kept fighting. Imagine it was Citroën loosing. For how many years they would keep trying? Two, three?

[tmx]

Bad news for Petter I think.

Reminded me of the last days of Subaru in WRC, I hope that's not the case.

[I am evil Homer]

I don't get it. Wasn't Ford WRC programme financed by Ford Europe? Strange to see Ford Racing engagements in USA using the european filial funds, especially when Ford is desperate to improve sales in europe.

As someone said before, WRC quiting decision probably is due to marketing reasons and not necessary due to motorsport adjustments in Ford Racing range.

I also think that only a bunch of white collars would let escape Ford's huge chances to win drivers and manus 2013 wrc titlles!

Nevertheless, every rally fan should thanks Ford WRC involvement over the years, especially last seasons efforts to fight Citroen dominance, providing entertaining duels with french rivals that otherwise would turn into boring solo displays.

Yes it's marketing related - budgets are tight and right now X-Games gets more viewers, more global media coverage and more hype in a key audience than rally does.

That has been WRC's problem for years - the 'product' is still good (despite the Loeb domination), the cars look good, the sound isn't bad, the events are good if not great. But the FIA's handling of a premier series has been utterly shambolic.

It has no idea how to engage with a younger audience. The promotion of the series, the TV coverage (or lack of) the lack of proper online content until last year means simply that the audience has dwindled to a hard core of people like us. We are enough to sustain it but it needs to grow.

For such a large marketing spend both for teams and their sponsors, they need higher viewer figures and they need a younger audience - the 16-35 range. The range that Red Bull and Monster etc get through things like the X-Games that they simply don't and couldn't through WRC.

[Karukera]

I would like to point how it was when PSA was loosing in the IRC. They just quit and killed the championship. Ford could have done the same in previous years but they kept fighting. Imagine it was Citroën loosing. For how many years they would keep trying? Two, three?

Cut the IF b.s, in the real world, Citroën won most of the confrontations.
Comparing IRC to WRC is irrelevant in almost every respect. The 207 S2000 program never went very far in delevopment and everybody knew it from the very beginning + PSA had a WRC program underway with Citroën.

You have something right and it's the commitment, PSA do not give a d@mn about passion for the sport while Ford did/does.
Besides financial/marketing considerations, PSA claim they need a direct confrontation with different manufacturers regardless of results, if they don't have it, they will simply quit when Ford would last, different visions. I personally prefer Ford's take on that.

Ford has been the most consistent manufactuer of the WRC and seeing them officialy leaving the series is a huge loss for any sensible rally enthusiast.

It is obvious that Ford have actually been backing the WRC for many years when other manufacturers are mostly opportunists, including PSA.

[Mirek]

Cut the IF b.s, in the real world, Citroën won most of the confrontations.
Comparing IRC to WRC is irrelevant in almost every respect. The 207 S2000 program never went very far in delevopment and everybody knew it from the very beginning + PSA had a WRC program underway with Citroën

How did You come to that conclusion?

[AndyRAC]

Ford have made the WRC their priority that they’ve given M-Sport a meagre budget.....meaning M-Sport running numerous programmes – whereas Citroen have soley concentrated on the WRC, and nothing else. The results say it all.

I don’t understand all this love for Ford – their record in the WRC is pretty woeful.