Thread: News & rumours (part II)

Gareth Jones will drive his Subaru WRC (run by Dom buckley) in Catalunya & Corsica ... and perhaps in rally GB.

Forum member c4's great rallybuzz site writes that than Anders Grøndal is the favorite to join Mads Østberg in the new M2 team "Adapta Subaru WRT".

Anders Grøndal has 1 WRC event (Rally Norway 2007) to him name where he intered in the Subaru WRC run by the private "Bilbutiken Subaru Team".

I wonder if this this team will be run by Prodrive or by "Team Østberg". Somehow I feel that they will find it very hard to score both driver and manu points.

Its true that I could join Mads in the 2.seat in Adapta WRT.
But I need to get al the money from sponsors, so still there is a long way to go.
I have driven more than 1 WRC rally, My first WRC was in 2004 with a N9 Subaru Gr.N. Then I did the swedish rally 2005,2006. In 2006 I also did the Candidate Rally Norway and was 3. overall. We also did Rally Norway 2007. But had gearbox problems from the start and had to retire.
But it`s not what I have done in WRC events that makes them want me in the team, its much more the speed in local events. I just need to get that speed over in the WRC.

The team will be run by Adapta and Prodrive, It means we will use Adapta mechanics. But we will share service area and eat and everything with SWRT. The team will also have engineers from SWRT. The cars will be S14.
Mads has done many WRC now, and they know what it takes to run a WRCar to the finish of a rally. If the drivers do theyr jobb right.
Driving in the WRC is way different from driving a 150km local rally where we just to flat out from the start.
I think the team can score points in Rally Norway and hopefully in some other events as well. For me, if I get the seat I would focus on finishing the events and learn the rallyes berfore the 2010 season. But offcorse its important to show some good speed also! Its a challenge I can`t wait for! Im just have to work hard as h.... to get the sponsorships.

If anyone has a question to me I be happy to answer them.

Best regards
Anders Grøndal

Hope you will find the funding Anders , it would be "helt konge"

Originally Posted by anders

Its true that I could join Mads in the 2.seat in Adapta WRT.
But I need to get al the money from sponsors, so still there is a long way to go.
I have driven more than 1 WRC rally, My first WRC was in 2004 with a N9 Subaru Gr.N. Then I did the swedish rally 2005,2006. In 2006 I also did the Candidate Rally Norway and was 3. overall. We also did Rally Norway 2007. But had gearbox problems from the start and had to retire.
But it`s not what I have done in WRC events that makes them want me in the team, its much more the speed in local events. I just need to get that speed over in the WRC.

The team will be run by Adapta and Prodrive, It means we will use Adapta mechanics. But we will share service area and eat and everything with SWRT. The team will also have engineers from SWRT. The cars will be S14.
Mads has done many WRC now, and they know what it takes to run a WRCar to the finish of a rally. If the drivers do theyr jobb right.
Driving in the WRC is way different from driving a 150km local rally where we just to flat out from the start.
I think the team can score points in Rally Norway and hopefully in some other events as well. For me, if I get the seat I would focus on finishing the events and learn the rallyes berfore the 2010 season. But offcorse its important to show some good speed also! Its a challenge I can`t wait for! Im just have to work hard as h.... to get the sponsorships.

If anyone has a question to me I be happy to answer them.

Best regards
Anders Grøndal

@ Anders Grøndal,

First of all, it's really cool that you come in here and tell us all the facts.

Sorry, that I said you only had one WRC event - I was only thinking of one WRC event in a WRC car. My bad...

Regarding Adapta ... is that the same as 'Team Østberg'? I have tried to seach the net but haven't been able to find the answer.

Is it possible that you would only do some events with the Adapta team, in case the sponsorship aren't enough for a whole season? - and perhaps share the seat with another driver? ... perhaps with a tarmac driver for the two tarmac events?

@ Anders. The plan is to do the whole 12/15 rounds seizoen?

@ Anders Try to do as MANY recce's that you can still this year !!! specially the European rounds

Hey again.

Yes, thats true, one WRC event with WRCar.

Yes, Team Østberg and Adapta is the same. The Adapta name has been around for a while. They used to own the cars that Henning Solberg used in the norwegian championship some years ago. Aslo Thomas Schies Ford Focus.
Now they have changed the whole teamname to Adapta WRT.
Most of the mechanics in the team is from a swedish "motorsport mechanics school" Today the team have 4 mechanics working full time.
Today Adapta owns 2x S10 x2 S12b 1xS9 and 1xS7 1x s4 and a Legacy, and a group N Subaru. So the mechanics have someting to do

For now they are looking for drivers who can do 10 events or more. So they did now want to talk about driver who wanted to do less events yet.
But if they cant find a 10 event driver they will be looking for drivers who can do less.

Yes, the plan now is for 10 events, but if I get good sponsorships I will do every event.

Yes, I will try to do as many recces as possible, the poor thing is that we have a really busy season here at home now where am looking for medals in Norwegian Rally Championship and Norwegian Hill climp championship.

Nice to see you writing and answering peoples questions here Anders! It will be interesting to see how the sponsorship work goes on

@anders again

thanx a lot joining us and giving us so much information
but as every time money rules in motorsports
nevertheless I wish you all the best to get as much WRC runs as possible and maybe we will meet next year on the stage ;-)

Originally Posted by anders

Hey again.

Yes, thats true, one WRC event with WRCar.

Yes, Team Østberg and Adapta is the same. The Adapta name has been around for a while. They used to own the cars that Henning Solberg used in the norwegian championship some years ago. Aslo Thomas Schies Ford Focus.
Now they have changed the whole teamname to Adapta WRT.
Most of the mechanics in the team is from a swedish "motorsport mechanics school" Today the team have 4 mechanics working full time.
Today Adapta owns 2x S10 x2 S12b 1xS9 and 1xS7 1x s4 and a Legacy, and a group N Subaru. So the mechanics have someting to do

For now they are looking for drivers who can do 10 events or more. So they did now want to talk about driver who wanted to do less events yet.
But if they cant find a 10 event driver they will be looking for drivers who can do less.

Yes, the plan now is for 10 events, but if I get good sponsorships I will do every event.

Yes, I will try to do as many recces as possible, the poor thing is that we have a really busy season here at home now where am looking for medals in Norwegian Rally Championship and Norwegian Hill climp championship.

It's really cool that you answer these questions. Thanks for that.

Are you able to tell what kind of money via sponsorships you need to raise for doing 10 events?

I have no idea myself, but my guess would be that one WRC event in a WRC car would cost 150.000-200.000 Euro. Is that completely wrong?

Are you considering a similar thing to what Guy Wilks is doing with his £2000 shares? - I guess there are quite a lot on norwegian rally fans that are looking forward to an all norwegian M2 team - so maybe it would be possible to raise some money from private donations?

PS: I work as a motorsport journalist in GP2, and I know a driver in that series normally needs to raise between 1.0-1.3 million Euro for a full season. (Depending on the team).

Thanks
No worries, I love rallying and answer the questions is just fun.

About the money I have no comment. Simply because the team don`t want let med tell anyone.

We have some good plans about how we should raise the money. But we need to work hard, and have luck!

About the Tirabassi deal. I think it is not a choise by Subaru, but rather a commercial deal as they call it

anders: I echo everyones comments on being appreciative of your envolvement with the rallying fanbase of the world. That in itself gains you much of my praise and interest.

I can understand and appreciate the fact that you cant comment on the financial side of things, but I must say that every fan wonders just how much top level rallying is out of our financial budget.

Im also relieved to hear that your will be using S14 machinery. I just hope that you are granted the LATEST in technological advancements rather than having dated models like the Stobart/Munchi's boys do.

As far as team structure goes, who will be the boss?
Will David Richards have contol over your team? Im wondering if DR have the power to make your team take time penalties if a SWRT car is in championship contention as Malcom Wilson does with the Ford entrants? Or is it purely whoever is fastest get the priority?

Lastly, any insight to possible car liverty? I know sponsors have a significant input into the final designs and colour schemes, but I wouldnt mind seeing something that actually looks good. For example the old Subaru liverty always looked good as it wasnt a mish-mash of 1000's of colours, but rather the riquired branding all in the same colour. Id love to see a black subaru with intencly bright silver markings (check The Vodaphone cars from Australias V8 Supercars series).

Best of luck with it all!!!

Originally Posted by grugsticles

Im also relieved to hear that your will be using S14 machinery. I just hope that you are granted the LATEST in technological advancements rather than having dated models like the Stobart/Munchi's boys do.

Being a M2 team has rule based limitations related to LATEST homogolations that can be used, therefore M2 can't always have the latest equipments in their use.

Originally Posted by COD

About the Tirabassi deal. I think it is not a choise by Subaru, but rather a commercial deal as they call it

My thoughts as well.

Anders, did you not drive Sweden 2006 with the Subaru Impreza WRC?

Originally Posted by anders

Hey again.

Yes, thats true, one WRC event with WRCar.

Yes, Team Østberg and Adapta is the same. The Adapta name has been around for a while. They used to own the cars that Henning Solberg used in the norwegian championship some years ago. Aslo Thomas Schies Ford Focus.
Now they have changed the whole teamname to Adapta WRT.
Most of the mechanics in the team is from a swedish "motorsport mechanics school" Today the team have 4 mechanics working full time.
Today Adapta owns 2x S10 x2 S12b 1xS9 and 1xS7 1x s4 and a Legacy, and a group N Subaru. So the mechanics have someting to do

For now they are looking for drivers who can do 10 events or more. So they did now want to talk about driver who wanted to do less events yet.
But if they cant find a 10 event driver they will be looking for drivers who can do less.

Yes, the plan now is for 10 events, but if I get good sponsorships I will do every event.

Yes, I will try to do as many recces as possible, the poor thing is that we have a really busy season here at home now where am looking for medals in Norwegian Rally Championship and Norwegian Hill climp championship.

Obs.. hehe.

2 wrc events, Sweden 2006 and Rally norway 2007. sorry my bad.
Interested in my results, vistit my webpage:www.andersgrondal.com then click in to Anders then "alle resultater"
Im working on a english site now.

About the money, I understand thats something everyone here would like to know. But as long as the team tell me not to say anyting about it. Then I can`t. Sorry.

In the begining Morten Østberg will be my teamboss.
And about stategies, I was promised that I will rund head to head vs Mads Østberg. And there will be no team orders.
Related to the SWRT and strategies, I don`t know.

Originally Posted by grugsticles

Im also relieved to hear that your will be using S14 machinery.

Looking by Germany the S12B is better.

Patrik Sandell on entrylist in a Mitsu Lancer at New-Zealand is normal or mistake from the site ???