Not only a huge production plant, Ford Europe is based in Cologne :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
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Not only a huge production plant, Ford Europe is based in Cologne :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
Thats the point. Ford Europe ;)
In Germany Ogier will have new car again. So, the other are now as test car. Maybe the former test car will be refurbished to Suninen or Bertelli one.
Kremer Ford history ;)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCxFbDmW...jpg&name=large
And no new car for Tänak ? Still with the old one, while Ogier gets his third ?
This sounds quite odd ...
Possibly M-Sport will get some backing off of Ford Europe and a main [German?] sponsor next season and they will announce the collaboration in Germany with Kremer driving a car with the next year sponsor livery?Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
A man can dream.
I have to point out again that Ford's motorsport (and marketing) budget is now under the total control of FoMoCo in Dearborn, Michigan. Sorry, to burst your bubble.:)
And we all know how much Americans love rally
What do they love the most?
HandeggQuote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
:D, that's not even a sport. I was thinking more global anyway. Otherwise icehockey is good.
James Fairley, Ford Europe former president (he left on June 1st) returned to Deaborn as he was promoted to FoMoCo vice president. He knows what MSport has been doing at the WRC and how badly they need Ford full support. Fairley is also a notorious petrolhead so there's some hope he can be instrumental in Ford’s return, as we all want and the sport deserves. Fingers crossed.Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
I must have missed that. Weird, Ford Europe has always been very independent, any link/source?Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
Reality TVQuote:
Originally Posted by stefanvv
Yes, Ford Europe was pretty much a different company to Ford US in the past. Different vehicles, different engines, non existent part sharing etc. But now, they are operating under the "One Ford" strategy, where everything is streamlined for global use under the parent company. And thats why the various performance brands (SVT in the US, Team RS in Europe, FPV in Australia) are now under the Ford Performance moniker, based in the US.Quote:
Originally Posted by focus206
Americans deciding about the Ford Rallycar project hmm.... Will this be the new Ford WRC then? :oQuote:
Originally Posted by macebig
http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/g...13/desktop.jpg
I readed some news about Malcolm Wilson negotiations with Ford Europe. Can’t find it now
Thats a Baja 1000 F150 Raptor, so we can rest assured that it would handle rough stages just fine...;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Lousada
Yeah, I read that too. Actually in one outlet I read he was negotiating with both the Ford HQ in America and Ford Europe and in another one they were talking about him being in contact with Ford Europe. Now I'm confused.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
http://social.ford.de/wp-content/upl...10-650x370.png
Thats the guy you re (mainly) looking for if you want Ford Performance backing.Dave Pericak.Gerard Quinn(the former Team RS head, who were previously backing Wilson) is now a subordinate of him.
Ford Australia - (FPV closed in 2014?) in 2017 from what I understand is built up car importer (with vehicle storage and spare parts warehouses), there is also the Product development centre (around 2000 staff) https://www.ford.com.au/about-ford/n...novation--exp/ (The engine and vehicle manufacturing plants have been closed - Ford Falcon car and ute and Ford Territory -suv).
Penasse at Belgium magazine
Alain, what do you think of the first half season of Thierry Neuville in the WRC?
"Since the beginning of the season, Thierry holds the super form. He took another step. He now approaches the rallies in a different way. He is calm, serene, sure of himself. He traces his races and his attitude on those of Ogier. "
Today, he returned to the 2nd place of the World, to 18 units of the quadruple champion of the French world. Can he always be crowned World Champion?
"I'm convinced, yes. He misses his two results of the start of the season, Monte Carlo and Sweden, where he lost two wins and nearly fifty points following small mistakes with great consequences. Otherwise, it would be far ahead. Ogier finished and scored big points each time. But he could also have once bad luck. And if that day, Thierry is in front he will fill the hole at a stroke. Since the beginning of the year, Hyundai-Neuville has signed the most scratches. So I imagine that he will take points on every rally in Ogier. "
Everyone agrees today that the Hyundai is the best WRC, the one with the best package. And yet you are 40 points behind M-Sport Ford in the builders' standings. How do you explain that?
"There are several factors. First the two victories lost in view of the arrival at the beginning of the year. Then the very bad start of season of Hayden Paddon. We also encountered some technical problems that cost us a few precious points as in Sardinia where Thierry should have won without a problem of brakes. Finally, we must admit that our opponents have a very good set of pilots this year. It will be tight, but we're going to fight. The title of the manufacturers is very important for the Koreans. "
Malcolm Wilson, the boss of M-Sport, clearly stated that he was ready to do anything to help Ogier crown the crown. Including giving instructions to his other pilots (Tanak and Evans) as he has already done in Portugal. Are you willing to do the same for Thierry?
"We still have to think about that. We'll see when we get into the situation. But it is clear that the title pilot is a priority and that this could be played at the end of years to a few points. Thierry is our candidate for the crown and if we can help him by changing the order of our drivers for a second or third place, why not? It is not forbidden. "
Quote:
Originally Posted by macebig
The Ford Performance guy of Rallye Monte-Carlo: http://www.wrc.com/en/wrc/news/janua...4--12-12-.html
I have a feeling that they might find some sort of solution where Ford pays 2/3 of the budget Wilson plans with to keep Ogier and the car competitive and the rest with a main sponsor. If you look at the cars now, there is no main sponsor on the livery other than Red Bull on Ogier's and DMack on Evans'. Tanak pretty much only has the MS-RT logo on it, which is an M-Sport owned thing. The next biggest thing is Castrol, which is still small. You'd expect someone would like to put their logo on there when they're doing so well.
Huh? Malcom told Tänak to wreck his car?Quote:
Originally Posted by dimviii
Sounds like machine translation, maybe that means team orders?
I think the Arabs might want to stop backing a dead horse (Citroen), if Msport can offer them better returns (titles and wins, as well as a car for as many events as Khalid wants to do).Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
Pericak was the guy that gave green light to Ford presence at the WRX, instead of returning to WRC. Ford Performance announcement on their WRX entry makes any proper rally fan sick, as they deliberately confused Ford WRC heritage with WRX, a racing series that wrongly still use the name of our sport. https://media.ford.com/content/fordm...allycross.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by macebig
It’s true that Ford big spending days are long gone (they’ve made Wilson pockets heavier, allowing MSport to built their state of art facilities and to become the world’s best private rally tuner), but the current situation is absurd. To see Ford acting like a parasite, profiting from MSport efforts without giving them the support they need and deserve, should be an embarrassment to Ford officials.
Sir Winston Churchill:Quote:
Originally Posted by racerx1979
Quote:
Reality is an illusion that occurs due to a lack of wine.
I'm a bit fed up with 'what ifs' coming from other camps.
Who is to say Seb didn't have a bit more to give when Neuville retired in Monte and Sweden. It wasn't as if it was the last stage.
Then there was the Hyunda 'win' by a whole 0.7 seconds. Hardly commanding.
It's interesting that quite a few of the other cars have suffered heavy damage but the fiesta's are relatively unscathed in events. Maybe losing a corner of a bumper etc.
I do hope Seb stays at M-Sport. He does seem happy there or maybe he is still smiling at what he is doing there and his transformation of the team this year.
Hyundai are acting like someone wants to steal the titles from them (in case of Neuville - has eaten his breakfast), rather ridiculous.
Ogier having fun with Formula1 and Tänak having fun in rallycross
Ott Tänak @OttTanak 18m18 minutes ago
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I had some good fun with this guy @AndreasBakkerud You have a great Team around! #flatout
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DC3M3q4XsAAPcmM.jpg
I don't think Ford higher ups are hostile against Wilson. They are still backing M Sport (there is no way Wilson would have been able to design, develop and homologate an unreleased vehicle without Ford's consent). Yes, their percentage of involvement could (and should) be higher. But they are still here. They could have very easily pulled a VW or even worse a BMW and screw a lot of people and themselves in the progress. I think maybe Wilson should make them understand that this is a lifetime chance. Citroen is a very bad state and the goal of 100 WRC victories could be marketing gold. Plus a proved champion and a very good young talent as drivers is Ford's purest chance to rack WCs that are sorely missing. Its a matter of investment versus return.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Exactly. Besides, the Fords RX engagement is really not going too well. It seems to me that they just do it to brag around that they have Ken Block - and he is very very average at best. I hope they get a grips of themselves and see that there is way more potential in the WRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Must.
Not.
Comment.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report...-team-pressure
Please elaborate.Quote:
Originally Posted by dodge33cymru
No comment is needed; I suspect you have been away in France the past weekend watching the Endurance event that eclipses all.....and then this 'news'. Proper endurance isn't wanted in modern day WRC.
If you'll pardon my language, I'd elaborate by saying it's a f***ing embarrassment... What an inconvenience it is to go rallying! It'd be easier not to bother at all...Quote:
Originally Posted by Watson
So that'll be down to 299.13km of SS, unless they fiddle some of the other stages for the final itinerary. If it is 299km, it'll be the shortest planned* Rally GB ever. Going by Jonkka's site, it'll be the third* shortest WRC rally ever: http://www.juwra.com/stats_event_stage_mileage.html
*Rally GB 2008 was shortened pre-event due to Snow and Ice, but was originally supposed to be 66.64km longer.
Rally GB needs a re-jig. I'd give Scotland 5yrs hosting the wrc round, Ireland the next 5yrs and England the 5yrs after that. Keep things fresh and utilise the stages we have here that are lying dormant. Wales has had its time and after the rally has been rotated around the rest of the "UK", it'll feel less stale when the rally would perhaps return to the north or south or south of Wales.
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The problem the rest of the UK has is that no other area will commit to funding the event. The Welsh Assembly Government have an agreement in place until at least 2018. There were talks of it going to Yorkshire a few years ago but nothing ever materialised. In my opinion, it could be shaken up by coming further south than Myherin and Sweet Lamb and taking in the classic stages such as Crychan and Halfway again or use the likes of Resolven but if the teams don't want longer days then there is no chance of the above happening without either a remote overnight halt or a move of the service area.Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
The current set up in North Wales has been good but this instance of teams putting pressure on organisers to reduce mileage to allow more rest time kind of takes the edge off of rallying doesn't it. It just goes to show how much power they have over the organisers.
The event needs a rethink - but is unlikely to get one whilst the MSA/IMS keep going to the highest bidder, i;e the Welsh money. The event hasn't visited 'killer' Kielder since 1995, Yorkshire since 1993.....ignoring other regions of the UK is pretty poor.
The Tour of Britain cycle race is a good example of how to do it; visit different regions/ areas over several years so lots of people get a chance to see the event. And unsurprisingly which sport/ event has a greater pull and mainstream media coverage....