Interview with Carlos del Barrio the co- of Xevi Pons, Jesus Puras, Daniel Oliveira and Dani Sordo.
Changes are expected, test and sponsors for Mini :arrow: Entrevista a Carlos del Barrio. Se esperan evoluciones, test y patrocinadores para Mini
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Interview with Carlos del Barrio the co- of Xevi Pons, Jesus Puras, Daniel Oliveira and Dani Sordo.
Changes are expected, test and sponsors for Mini :arrow: Entrevista a Carlos del Barrio. Se esperan evoluciones, test y patrocinadores para Mini
Quote: bmwblog.com - MINI WRC Team Makes a MAJOR Mistake
...“wimpy rich kid gets the drive”... :arrow: MINI WRC Team Makes a MAJOR Mistake
I don't know why people are outraged at this. Yes, Meeke is talented. And yes, it's disappoitning to see pay drivers running in the second Mini. But Mini explained why they made that choice - they couldn't get the budget to enter two works cars at every rally in the season. 2012 is a step up from their 2011 program, but it looks like it was too big a step to run two full-time drivers, and Dani Sordo has more experience at the WRC level than Meeke. Hopefully, they team will be looking to enter two full-time works drives in 2013, and give the second seat to Meeke.
I will explain you why there is problem. Kris Meeke had offer after his success in IRC to go to Skoda. He has decided to join Mini on the beginning of their project, because they have promised him full time on developing the car and then another years in WRC. But now, just before start of the season after whole year of developing the car and few start, thay have said to him: Thanks, but you will not go... He is paid driver, but he is in best rally age. If he will not do races this year, it is big loss for him...
I understand that - but in the time between Mini making the original promise and later breaking it, something has clearly changed within the team. They couldn't get the budget to enter two full-time works cars, and had to resort to pay drivers. This obviously wasn't the original intention, and I'm certain they would have kept their promise if they could have, but they obviously could not.
Although I do wonder if they could at least give him a John Cooper Works S2000 for all the European events. Maybe it's not as good as a WRC-spec entry for all rallies, but it's better than nothing.
Nothing changed, they didn't have a budget for 2012 at the start and that remained the situation. They left the announcement so late that the driver musical chairs had ended for next season leaving KM without a drive. The mini 'image' promoted by Dodgey Dave / Prodrive has been the rebirth of the Mini, in traditional BRITISH Leyland colours and invoking the name (and presence) of Paddy Hopkirk (Northern Irish Monte winner) in association with Kris's presence in the team. In PR terms Dani Sordo has been very much secondary within the set up. Then Kris is dropped. British rally fans (to a very large proportion) feel the whole thing stinks and the tangible positive feeling for Prodrive (you had to be out on the stages to experience how much people had got behind them) is very seriously damaged. Damn it, we had a Brit to get behind at last and then it has been snatched away!Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisoner Monkeys
well said, im from Northern Ireland and was gutted to hear the news, he needed a bit of consistency and he would have been a winner. it was a massive PR disaster for the Monte
Quote:
Originally Posted by PLuto
If you take your seat in an official team as a guarantee for 2 or more years you are a fool.
Meeke knew when he signed with Mini that the project was still new and much could go wrong. It was is choice to sign with a new team and manufacteur.
silly articleQuote:
Originally Posted by danon
So that makes C McRae, C Sainz, W Rohrl and many other top drivers all fools.Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44