Originally Posted by
Rally Power
Just noticed that VW’s private entry was already discussed. Apparently, some team managers are against it, and so are most of you. Honestly, these shouldn’t be a matter for partisanship and FIA must take WRC greater interest into consideration.
People say it doesn’t comply WRC rules, but there are already some strange rules (or exceptions?) around: private drivers, like Ostberg, Prokop or Bertelli are allowed to run ’17 Fiestas as long as they figure as false MSport drivers (the same can happen in any other team); last year Citroen run a short programme through their private partner, PH Sport, and during 2011 Mini official team was allowed to enter only 6 events. Many other examples can be mentioned.
Despite being conform to homologation tech regs, the new Polo doesn’t cope with over demanding WRC administrative system. That’s enough for VW opponents to consider it’s not fair to allow Mikkelsen, or any other driver, to use the car on a short WRC programme, even under a private entry…meanwhile, easy going WRX will get a new team, backed up by VW Motorsport, racing a ’17 WRC Polo derivate.
Yep, Motorsport it’s a big happy family but WRC is always in competition with WRX, WTCC, WEC or even F1 about getting manus resources; after all, its manus money that keep the wheels turning. Besides, even if WRC is now living a fantastic era, with 3 top brands (plus Ford, timidly supporting MSport) involved, the past already showed that any of them can suddenly pull out.
It’s true that nobody forced VW to go away, but if there’s a real interest in VW Motorsport staff (and probably even on some VW board members, not totally happy with November’s move) to rally the new Polo, FIA WRC officials should take it, no matter what other teams think. More, if WRC was managed in a pro active way, they should take the opportunity to do some lobbying on VW’s Group for a full WRC return in ’18, with any of their brands.