Lack of manufacturers in wrc

[Finni]

There has been thousands of reasons for the lack of manufacturers in the wrc but one of the most important reason is lack of succes. Subaru, Skoda Mitsubishi and Suzuki have gone primarily because they failed to win races.

Some manufacturers came in like wishfull amateurs without proper plan and proper resources. In the realm of Citroen and Ford you need really professional work with the car and even that's not enough. In rallying you need also top-notch driver. I think this was also problem with Mitsubishi. In the hands of Loeb, Grönholm or Solberg Mitsubishi would have been contender for race wins. In rallying real top-notch driver is huge factor (Imagine if Citroen had been without Loeb, Subaru without Solberg and Ford without Grönholm).

[Bazza2541]

How quickly you seem to have forgot Tommi?

[Finni]

How quickly you seem to have forgot Tommi?

Tommi who?

I commented about recent situations.

[sollitt]

I think Mitsubishi left because the tin was empty.

[Helstar]

I think this was also problem with Mitsubishi. In the hands of Loeb, Grönholm or Solberg Mitsubishi would have been contender for race wins.

Are you talking about the crappy Lancer of 2004-2005 or what ?

[Finni]

Are you talking about the crappy Lancer of 2004-2005 or what ?

If Rovanperä is good indication Mitsu was not slower than 307 in many rallies.

[A.F.F.]

I think Mitsubishi left because the tin was empty.

Sorry, what does that mean?

[Motorsportfun]

Are you talking about the crappy Lancer of 2004-2005 or what ?

Mitsubishi Lancers were not as crappy as you think! Watch what Gigi Galli and Rovanpera did in the latter part of the 2005 season, when they had the first results to the development programme. Galli fought for the victory against Loeb (Loeb who?) in Turkey, then Rovanpera had a great rally in Australia, etc.

But the truth is that Mitsubishi had a giant crisis inside the company, so they decided to cut a lot of investments in motorsport, dropping part of the programme for the Dakar too (Valeo sponsor entered with Luc Alphand at the end of 2005).

[Daniel]

Rovanpera had a great rally in Australia, etc.

You seem to forget that Loeb, Solberg and Gronholm were all out of the rally.

[Helstar]

Mitsubishi Lancers were not as crappy as you think!

Lancer was crap. Clearly slower compared to Citroen, Subaru, Peugeot and Ford. Only same speed of Skoda ^^ (maybe little bit better). But totally unreliable.

We are saying the same thing: the drivers were good and some SS times show it. But they never achieved acceptable results because of the mechanical problems (of course you remember Gigi in Sweden, Argentina, Turkey or Rovanpera in Japan) and drivers errors (they were overdriving it to be competitive to the other people times, look Gigi in Finland/Japan/Spain or Rovanpera in Sardinia where he damaged a suspension while was 3rd).
As Daniel says 2nd position for Harri in Australia was, well, luck ^^ normally it would have been a 5th position.