Prodrive Mini WRC

Prodrive have built what most people would agree is a good car.

I think yes Prodrive will be in Sweden and maybe some more of the European events in next 2 or 3 months with the pay drivers like Sandell etc etc. I think by the summer Prodrive may not bother with much more.

I think once the Portugul team start finishing behind Matthew Wilson, Prodrive will not want their name associated with this car.

Remember when Subaru pulled out they only did one rally the following year then moved onto better things.

They could have rallied the Subaru a lot more in 2009 even as a private team with one good driver and pay drivers but there was no point long term.

Manufacturer money is what Prodrive need to rally and by the sounds of this the entire deal has fallen apart.

I think even before today someone in Prodrive has been told to go back to the drawing board once again pick out cars/manufacturers that have rally potential. It would be foolish of them to have staff spend much more time on this project.

Prodrive is a business, they have little loyalty to any manufacturer once the cord has been cut.

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Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira

Sorry for my english...

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Dont worry, your english is definitely better than my portugese :beer: thanks it was really helpful

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Originally Posted by Armindo Araujo

We will try develop the car for represent the make Mini by the best way. We will work in partnership with Dani Sordo and we try to transmit as much information to the team

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these words harden my opinion that everything will continue as before, the only change is in paper names which doesnt matter for us - the fans!

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Originally Posted by WRCS14

Prodrive have built what most people would agree is a good car.

I think yes Prodrive will be in Sweden and maybe some more of the European events in next 2 or 3 months with the pay drivers like Sandell etc etc. I think by the summer Prodrive may not bother with much more.

I think once the Portugul team start finishing behind Matthew Wilson, Prodrive will not want their name associated with this car.

Remember when Subaru pulled out they only did one rally the following year then moved onto better things.

They could have rallied the Subaru a lot more in 2009 even as a private team with one good driver and pay drivers but there was no point long term.

Manufacturer money is what Prodrive need to rally and by the sounds of this the entire deal has fallen apart.

I think even before today someone in Prodrive has been told to go back to the drawing board once again pick out cars/manufacturers that have rally potential. It would be foolish of them to have staff spend much more time on this project.

Prodrive is a business, they have little loyalty to any manufacturer once the cord has been cut.

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What makes you believe Prodrive will quit? Where do you read that. I think this was the solution to repair the reputation of the brand MINI and Prodrive to continue develop the car.

David Richards bullish over Mini's decision to - WRC news - AUTOSPORT.com

You're puting to much emphasis on Prodrive future role at this WRC Mini deal.

To me it's clear that Prodrive has been put aside from it by BMW.

Autorishation to Prodrive keep costumers programme may have been dictated by legal precautions.

Now it's Italia Motorsport (via WRC Mini Team Portugal) who runs the deal, as the M1 status cleary demonstrates.

Maybe this won´t be a long term partnership, and BMW is using Italia Motorsport as a temporary plan B, in order to prevent FIA sanctions and get time to find a definitive solution.

Good news is that Mini is staying in WRC for a long time!

And Araujo is now a factory driver!!!

Força Armindo, força Mini :D

For me is interesting the name Portugal in the team with a Brazilian driver. It would make more sense a Lusa rally team. Or Nobre will be replaced by Bruno Magalhães (without team since Peugeot Sport Portugal close, that could bring to the team Carlos Barros who has a huge experience of the times in Peugeot-Talbot Sport) or Bernardo Sousa (with big €€ support)?

A complete and utter shambles....what a joke!!

I can't see any positives in this news.

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Originally Posted by Viking

If my guess is as good as the next... Prodrive wanted a lot of money for running the wrc team, team Portugal a lot less..
Maybe Prodrive has a longer term deal with BMW on development of the car and they tried to put pressure on BMW?
Only problem for them, at least short term, is that team Portugal have drivers that are to slow...

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I don't understand why they chose Motorsport Italia? I was unaware that they had build anything remotely in the same league as the MINI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am now certain we will probably not ever see Meeke again in a MINI.
BTW why has the JCW's homoligation been extended to 2018? That seems mad as the car will not still be competitive then???

The Mini/Prodrive divorce explained

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Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira

For me is interesting the name Portugal in the team with a Brazilian driver. It would make more sense a Lusa rally team. Or Nobre will be replaced by Bruno Magalhães (without team since Peugeot Sport Portugal close, that could bring to the team Carlos Barros who has a huge experience of the times in Peugeot-Talbot Sport) or Bernardo Sousa (with big €€ support)?

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This is absolutely unimportant who is in team. They only need two drivers, which will do (and pay) all events in WRC 2012. It isnt important, if it is Armindo Araujo, Paulo Nobre, Kimi Raikkonen, Daniel Oliveira, Bjorn Waldegaard, Stephane Peterhansel, Luc Alphand or Usain Bolt...