Ogier transformed after new car changes:
http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/may-2...8--12-12-.html
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Ogier transformed after new car changes:
http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/may-2...8--12-12-.html
here is the interview with Malcolm i was talking about in rally portugal thread http://sport.err.ee/597382/malcolm-w...gmisel-hooajal
It's official: there's a new head honcho at Ford. Current CEO Mark Fields is replaced by autonomous cars chief Jim Hackett.
That gives me no confidence at all that Ford will make an official return to WRC. :(
Of course no return for Ford. It's not about the money, rather the humiliation that they have suffered in the last 30 years dealing with M-Sport. Despite Portugal success, a lot more is needed to convince the bosses.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
This post shows so little level of knowledge of either the sport or business it's embarrassing.Quote:
Originally Posted by jparker
Let's keep our heads up. They are still doing cars like the Fiesta ST and Focus ST/RS. They wanna be associated with motorsport. In many ways I think the WRC is the best way to get bigger amounts of people excited about your regular road cars. The whole GT3 racing they are engaging in now is nice too but a Ford GT costs more than a 488 Ferrari.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Sweet Lord you're just a miserable little hater, aren't you?Quote:
Originally Posted by jparker
Heartburn is so bad :)
The GT is an inexpensive marketing exercise. If they were serious about motorsport it Ford would build a competitive prototype rather than a GT40 throwback to run against a pack of mass produced Porsches. It gets lots of articles in the US media, though, that always go on about the sixties. The WRC has a shot if someone over in Ford Europe can make a compelling case and keep the cost low.
The continued existence of the ST and RS models is a good sign, but we'll see what happens with new leadership.
M Sport hasn't stop getting support from FoMoCo.Or you guys believe that Wilson found unreleased Fiesta chassis and designs falling down the sky at Cumbria.If they want to pay Ogier the salary he wants is a different kind of thing but rest assured that those Fiestas are running the stages because Ford wants it.
Ofc, i can`t see how its possible to think that there isn`t support (trademark ecoboost logos everywhere etc) but the question is in the total sum.
Nobody here thinks that. They get minor development support and a bit of pocket money for the ecoboost stickers but they are by far the poorest team. Ford is nowhere near as committed as any of the others.Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
https://www.rallye-magazin.de/index....ws%5Bday%5D=18
Ogier is willing to stay but he wants clarity about how the M-Sport operation is going to be run next year, specifically that they will have the dough to stay competitive and to pay him. Apparantly he wants to know by this summer (no specifics when that is) so he can sign a new contract with Ford or another team so he won't have to do last second pre-season preperations again.
Wilson says they are in contact with Ford Europe and the headquarters in North America yet they have yet failed to promise anything.
Reminds me of 2002 when they waited around until Sainz and McRae left and 2004 when they didn't confirm their backing and Märtin and Duval saw themselves forced to walk away.
That's true. But there's also a positive note on their side, there's no politics in their team. Just engineering and racing. They may have smaller resources but they use them optimally, there are no obstructions or distractions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
The fact that the new boss is into the development of autonomous cars, I cant see him being swayed into having Ford use WRC as a future promo tool. Hope I'm wrong.
Haven`t heard from Nasser in a while. Last info was, if i remember correctly that he is still planning to compete. Like Wilson said, Ford or some other big supporter, no difference.
Al Attiyah?He just bought a brand new R5 Fiesta and will compete ERC Acropolis and the full MERC calendar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarmop
Thanks, didn`t know that but i actually ment WRC. After the VW deal failed, there was a paus and maybe a month or two ago? there were new talks about another possible deal with one of the current teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
What would it take for Ford to return officially? Why are the 3 others in it anyway?Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
To me, Hyundai is in it for the prestige and raise the level of its brand. Citroën for pride? Toyota,I have no clue! They seem to be bouncing in and out of motorsport disciplines with no clear purpose.
As for the Ford GT program, it seems to be run by nostalgics. Their financial situation still isn't that great.
Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk
Their financial situation is horrible because their CEO talked constantly about electric and autonomous cars without any clue on what costumers want in their car TODAY!Quote:
Originally Posted by Ctesibios
That's why he is out of the door today, no one forgets he's conference about autonomous car where he clearly expected a reaction from the audience but no one cared.
I'm sorry if I sound a bit daft here but I'm unaware of the politics in Ford's top branch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
They only just fired the previous CEO because he was too fixed on autonomous and electric cars and they replaced him with the head of the autonomous cars department? How is that going to help?
They'll fire Ogier and win the championship with an autonomous car? :D Hiring Ogier was actually only to collect data of his driving style, which will be then fed into the driving computer
Hahaha yeah something along these lines. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Perhaps because Jim Hackett is still very focused on selling waht they have to offer today. In his first comments on the job he says the autonomous and electric strategy has to be completely rethinked and that shall take time. I think those are some strong comments from a man who clearly was very involved in that strategy before, just because he was the head of the autonomous department doesn't mean it's his solo focus.Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
So if anything the chances of them approving of a works WRC team have improved through the regime change?Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
Atleast I think so, but the data about the effects of such investment on their sales only they know. It's hard to really know how much "bang for buck" they have in the WRC, seeing as they can easily spend a quarter of that on some other series. I guess we'll have to wait and see.Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
Alright, thank you very much for the insight.Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
Please, I do not have any "insight" :D, those are just my thoughts about what happened recently with what has been made publicly available in the news.Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
Well, yeah but I didn't have a clue about these guys and what they publically said.Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
I wonder if a Tanak or Evans win would also help convince Ford, making the success of the Fiesta and M-Sport not appear so reliant on Ogier ?
They are both coming close...
Citroën Racing*@CitroenRacing May 21
Bravo @SebOgier, Julien and @MSportLtd ! A win at #RallyPortugal reminds us great memories from 2010! #WRC #TheVeryFirstOne #PortugalMasters
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DAWYvxwXUAE8mKL.jpg
and Ogiers answer
Sébastien Ogier
Verified account
Merci!!
#TheVeryFirstOne is one of those you never forget!!
@rallydeportugal
So they hire Mikkelsen for Sardinia and then congratulate Ogier.
Something has changed for sure.
You could see from Meeke's face that he and the team was under massive pressure from Matton.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Big Corps are a bit like foot clubs: when results are poor, sacking the coach is the easiest way to boost the team and please the masses. Shareholders were criticizing Ford’s strategy as stock price kept slumping, that’s why Field’s head is rolling. Surprisingly, or not, the new CEO was totally aligned with the strategy and, worse, he’s not a car guy (Hackett came from office furniture business). But there’s still hope (for MSport and Rally): Jim Farley (Ford Europe current president and a known petrolhead) is keeping his FoMoCo vice president post and was promoted to Global Markets president. Fingers crossed!Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis44
http://www.autonews.com/article/2017...EM02/170529994
Steven Armstrong, a 52 years old brit and former James Farley deputy, is the new Ford Europe president. Will Ford’s empowered Farley and Armstrong finally give full support to MSport? Fingers crossed!
https://media.ford.com/content/fordm...armstrong.html
I have to inform that things have changed in Ford.This is not the 70s when the rally team was run by Dagenham or the 90s that M Sport got backing from Cologne.All decisions nowadays are made in Dearborn, Michigan.Those are the guys that support Ganassi and the GTLM program plus Block and M Sport in World RX.Also, they are guys Roger Penske is talking with regarding the Australian V8SC program.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
As you probably know, Farfley lead Europe and he's now returning to the US as FoMoCo vice president. He's a petrolhead and has direct knowledge about MSport WRC effort. Being back at Dearborn may be a positive factor.
MW treating the staff to little get together to celebrate the successful start to the season !
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DAw1WyNWAAA0JMA.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DAw1XYLWsAAP7IK.jpg
With portuguese wine
Malcolm Wilsons rally teams new circuit being built out West. @MSportLtd
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DBfbIMtXsAA9Yw2.jpg