Any UK people read M News yet? Anything of interest in it.
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Any UK people read M News yet? Anything of interest in it.
Nothing that you dont know already, most of the info is well known, fundamental part of it was Prodrive were to land a sponsor to pay - that hasnt happened. Lots of bending over backwards by FIA to allow a single car entry for 10 rounds.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel157
So all the bashing of BMW is quite unwarranted - hmmm, Prodrive drop another clanger. First the AMR-One, now this.
silly title from MN, any fans are disappointed rather than furious, my bet is that they are using provocative headlines to sell a paper that will have nothing new in itQuote:
Originally Posted by noel157
I found this particularly interesting as it highlights some of the concerns I raised earlier surrounding BMW's worry about NOS issues.Quote:
Originally Posted by EightGear
What do you guys think will happen after 2012/13? Will Prodrive dump the Mini chassis and pick up another project or will BMW allow Prodrive to continue with Mini but perhaps with a different model?
How will Prodrive develop the engine without BMW support?
Does anyone know if any mini's will come to NZ???
so many questions....Quote:
Originally Posted by Plan9
Remember Peugeot 307?Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
IRC and WTCC are entirely their own products whereas WRC has the cache of being a full FIA Championship. There is nothing that says if Eurosport gets the rights they can't continue to sell it to other channels too but what Eurosport have which other organisations (such as NOS) don't have is their own channel which is available around the globe at reasonable or no cost.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
In the UK for example I think moving from ESPN to Eurosport would be a very positive move. F1 might be able to get away with it but rallying just does not have enough pull to the general public to command expensive subscription charges as has been proved by the dreadful ESPN viewing figures.
WTCC not a full World Championship?!?!Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
How many manufacturers has Eurosport attracted to that series recently?! Would you say that this is a shining example of promotion?
Fair point about WTCC but I don't really follow that series so can't comment more on that.Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
But for WRC, I don't see how Eurosport cannot be a massive improvement on the current regime. Who wouldn't want the kind of live coverage we have seen in IRC on a channel that is much more accessable to most?
It is not only the fans wallets this affects. Look at Mini - they have a competitve car but can't even justify throwing a few million at the project.
I agree that Eurosport's coverage of Monte has been great in the past, but that's the point, it's only ever really been Monte, with sporadic coverage of other events when the Organiser has been willing to pay Eurosport to provide it. There's been little consistency.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
In 2011, how many events had live coverage? Monte, Scotland, and Cyprus? 3 out of 13 is better than none, but it's still a drop in the ocean.
It would just be a pity if NOS had planned to do more of the France style web streaming and that went by the wayside for a limited TV coverage deal on Eurosport. As soon as something goes on eurosport, the ability for it to grow disappears because of the broad reach of that channel.
Was Mini's late registration in WRC just an attempt to play hardball?
Quote: The delay may have been a tactical move by BMW and Mini to convince series promoters to come up with more amicable coverage terms.
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.
This photo shows that Mini are at least in Monte Carlo, apparently it shows Dani doing a recce.
Dani Sordo | Facebook
I think that is not in Monte Carlo. Just similar conditions and Dani shared with the community because of the proximity of the rally.
Yes, it was a taking notes' test. Maybe at Cantabria, in the same conditions that are expected during the rally.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
Why would he do that?
I don't know, but it's said by Dani below the picture.
Patrik Sandell to drive Mini in WRC 2012!
Hem
Would be stupid to publish pics of recce-ing in Monte Carlo when not allowed :D
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
Just for Sweden, or?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
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?
He will drive selected rallies this coming year, starting with Rally Sweden. Which rallies will be announced later on.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
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.
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 seasonQuote:
Originally Posted by Plan9
Cool. Now all we need is Kenneth Erikkson and we have a party! =p
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by RS
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by milly
If you have goals and an idea of marketing you could very well fund Minis efforts. And I think BMW should. Donīt know why they donīt want. But IMHO Prodrive should have had backing from BMW. They can afford it.Quote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell
Yes BMW probably can afford it. However, they’re not going to get’ value for money’, are they? Which they will with the DTM, despite what many on here may think of that series. A lot of people see mto lay the blame at BMW, but I don’t think they’ve done anything wrong. The deal appears to have been support for development and the first season of the Mini – after that, Prodrive were on their own.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
Whatever has happened, the hoped for sponsor hasn’t materialised – despite it seeming very close ti a deal. All this when the new car showed pace and promising results – all which leaves me to conclude the WRC is no were near were it should be.
This fact leaves me wondering whether the people in the WRC are really aware of it’s standing. Ford, Mini without title sponsors, many events without a commercial backer, instead relying on local government/ regional assembly/ tourist boards for support.
Well, I think things are not digital - 1 or 0 - so value for money in WRC? Yes. DTM? Also Yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
You cant say thereīs no value for money in WRC, because then neither Ford or Citroen or VW would be there. And for myself I donīt care about which brand wins the DTM: I care what car is doing well in the forests - thetīs rallying. So regarding my piont of view rallying gets value for money. And BMW should think about that.
I don't understand what the point is you're making here. Just because you don't care about the DTM doesn't mean to say that it is a worse marketing proposition for a car manufacturer. For BMW I think it's a far better choice than the WRC, given the DTM's enormous popularity in Germany. What, for a start, is the value of BMW taking part in the WRC using a car that doesn't carry its own name?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
I think this hints at one of the most fundamental problems facing WRC right now - the problems with the TV coverage that has led to poor exposure on stations around the world.
As a result, it's difficult to generate value for the sponsors - especially when it still costs such a lot to compete at WRC level (and the factory teams want sponsorship figures that don't balance up with what the sponsors see as good value).
To me, that means the way forward has to be for WRC to be free to air in major markets of Europe, Asia, America, to generate sponsorship value for money.
BMW isn't popular in Germany? :OQuote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell
One still needs to promote one's products, even in one's home market. Look at Ford's presence in British domestic racing for years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Franky
Ford is American though. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by BDunnell
DTM are all German brand think it was always like that.
What about the fire into the Prodrive factory? Looks it burned a recce car too...