Prodrive Mini WRC

Nice idea, and a nice guy I'm sure, but I don't think Patrick can compete with the top guys, even on his home rally.

Patrick will be the 2nd driver of MINI WRT in Sweden.
Video from today's press conference of SWRT: Sweden World Rally Team-presskonferens - YouTube

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Originally Posted by Rallyper

Patrik Sandell to drive Mini in WRC 2012!

Hem

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Just for Sweden, or?

Nice for Patrik. I would predict a performance around the level of Henning Solberg, maybe slightly better.

The Swedish touring car driver will also drive a Mini on Sweden, how do you see him doing? Is he as good as Matthias Ekstrom was?

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Originally Posted by RS

Just for Sweden, or?

Nice for Patrik. I would predict a performance around the level of Henning Solberg, maybe slightly better.

The Swedish touring car driver will also drive a Mini on Sweden, how do you see him doing? Is he as good as Matthias Ekstrom was?

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He will drive selected rallies this coming year, starting with Rally Sweden. Which rallies will be announced later on.

Looked at the video, Bjorn is looking a bit unwell, I hope his health is okay

Will Patrick Flodin be in the picture for the Swedish team? I bet PG is gutted he is now with Proton.

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Originally Posted by Plan9

Will Patrick Flodin be in the picture for the Swedish team? I bet PG is gutted he is now with Proton.

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Given his history of using prodrives products, I'd imagine so, but wouldn't be surprised if an R4 impreza was his steed for the season

Cool. Now all we need is Kenneth Erikkson and we have a party! =p

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Originally Posted by RS

According to an un-named team source in Autosport magazine this week "it's all very well talking about a third car (for Meeke) but we don't even have the money for the first car yet" so it really sounds as if BMW are putting in little or nothing at all.

I bet Kris now wishes he had signed for Skoda when he had the chance. Even if by some miracle he does some events this year and secures a bigger programme next year this is a big set back for him as he really needed to be out on all events this year to build his experience.

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This has been coming right from the start of the Mini program - because Prodrive did the deal based on BMW only giving technical and PR support and the right to build the rally car, then Prodrive had to find the money to run the cars through sponsorship and customer car sales.

They haven't found any sponsorship - tried to get BMW to fund it and when that didn't work, blamed the situation with North One. The money has never been there - which is why Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai turned them down 18 months ago.

Prodrive takes big commercial gambles - look at Aston Martin in Le Mans as another one that has gone wrong. They gambled BMW would bankroll the WRC program - BMW said no.

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Originally Posted by milly

This has been coming right from the start of the Mini program - because Prodrive did the deal based on BMW only giving technical and PR support and the right to build the rally car, then Prodrive had to find the money to run the cars through sponsorship and customer car sales.

They haven't found any sponsorship - tried to get BMW to fund it and when that didn't work, blamed the situation with North One. The money has never been there - which is why Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai turned them down 18 months ago.

Prodrive takes big commercial gambles - look at Aston Martin in Le Mans as another one that has gone wrong. They gambled BMW would bankroll the WRC program - BMW said no.

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In which case, I find this an astonishing situation. How could it have been expected that sponsorship for a full 2012 campaign would be forthcoming on the basis of a part-season in 2011? What level of success did Prodrive anticipate having in 2011 that would provide the basis for finding that sponsorship? In a championship that's at a low point in terms of public attention, it appears ambitious at best.