Prodrive Mini WRC

The most important question - was/is rallysport priority for BMW? Wasnt it big programme from Prodrive, who came to BMW and told: we have project to build a WRC car, dot you want go with us? You will give us brand and help us with developing the car, all other things and money will be on our side. Now, Prodrive dont have enough money to continue (not found sponsor or speculation from DR that BMW doesnt want to kill good promotion and will give more money), so BMW is trying to find the best solution for them...

I can only add that this Motorsport Italia crowd will not be the official Mini team beyond this year. I imagine BMW will become a full works entry for 2013 (if they ever make up their minds). There is no way that MI can possibly hope to beat Sordo or any of the people in the prostitute car this year.

I want assurances that Sordo will do all the rounds. I am also keen to know if the Prodrive Mini will contine as Red/White and have the official overall etc or will BMW stoop to those levels of humiliation for Prodrive?

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Originally Posted by PLuto

The most important question - was/is rallysport priority for BMW? Wasnt it big programme from Prodrive, who came to BMW and told: we have project to build a WRC car, dot you want go with us? You will give us brand and help us with developing the car, all other things and money will be on our side. Now, Prodrive dont have enough money to continue (not found sponsor or speculation from DR that BMW doesnt want to kill good promotion and will give more money), so BMW is trying to find the best solution for them...

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Sounds like this storyline is not far from the truth. DR could have said this I guess.

But now BMW stand to loose more by letting the project crash, so trying to go in with some cash. The first thing they should do was to send money to Kris Meeke, to have a real two-car team !

This really isn't encouraging other manufacturers to join in :mark: I am very disappointed. But the silverlining is that we don't loose Mini at all.... I guess.

If yesterday´s news was a turn for the better, surely Sordo and Meeke would be driving a full season with a car they would develop and test. But then again where do we need them when we have the amazing duo of Team MINI Portugal.

I say Prodrive should drop MINI development and built and help Proton with the WRC.

WRC Team MINI Portugal will have?

cars 12 and 14 (ex. Armindo Araujo World Rally Team and Palmeirinha Rally)
or
cars 37 and 52 (ex. MINI WRC Team)

I think in Sweden it´s like it is in entrylist (as above), but for the rest of season?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PLuto

The most important question - was/is rallysport priority for BMW? Wasnt it big programme from Prodrive, who came to BMW and told: we have project to build a WRC car, dot you want go with us? You will give us brand and help us with developing the car, all other things and money will be on our side. Now, Prodrive dont have enough money to continue (not found sponsor or speculation from DR that BMW doesnt want to kill good promotion and will give more money), so BMW is trying to find the best solution for them...

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Not the best solution, but the cheapest solution.

In the meantime they decide if pull out of WRC at the end of the year, or to send the project to anyone else (X-Raid?) and restart everything. Just my toughts.

And i also believe that BMW didn't had the wish to be on WRC. They simply saw an opportunity (gave by Prodrive) and take it. Now things went wrong and they have dificulties in dealing with it and finding a solution.

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Originally Posted by pantealex

WRC Team MINI Portugal will have?

cars 12 and 14 (ex. Armindo Araujo World Rally Team and Palmeirinha Rally)
or
cars 37 and 52 (ex. MINI WRC Team)

I think in Sweden it´s like it is in entrylist (as above), but for the rest of season?

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I think the numbers will remain as they are - since I don't believe the Rally Team Italia cars will be run as "Mini WRC Team" - that name will stay at Prodrive & since Dani has been given that number at the start of the year he will retain it for the whole year and has to be the driver of that car under the rules.

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Originally Posted by JAM

And i also believe that BMW didn't had the wish to be on WRC. They simply saw an opportunity (gave by Prodrive) and take it. Now things went wrong and they have dificulties in dealing with it and finding a solution.

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You mean it went wrong when PD didn´t get the funding for two driver over the whole year? If BMW decided to support PD in the beginning they must have thought out what could go wrong in the first place. Every big company with brain must have a plan B and also C from the beginning. BMW seems maybe not had that.

If you decide you have to fulfill, because else they loose so much goodwill. And I think they now already had at least if they don´t support the whole project in the future meaning 3-5 year plan.