2022 WRC News & Rumours

[rallyfiend]

Some rally manufacturer teams have been subdivisions of the actual car company (like Hyundai is and Citroen was). Sometimes an external rally team is hired to do the job, but the car company provides the budget (like Subaru/Prodrive and Ford/M-Sport until 2012). Toyota Gazoo started in 2017 by ordering the operations from Tommi Mäkinen Racing, but last year they bought the operations back to in-house.

Current M-Sport is a more rare case since M-Sport’s financial side is completely independent from Ford and they have their own business models (pay drivers, car renting, car selling, spare parts etc) that other teams don’t share. Yes, they are married with Ford who agrees to homologate their cars and gives some support in form of car development, but no actual budget.

So, could Williams or another racing team achieve what M-Sport does and build a Rally1 car? Yes, but only with co-operation of a car manufacturer. It would have to resemble a street model and be homologated with manu’s agreement.

I think people need to be more realistic about the amount of money that Ford are giving M-Sport.

Just because it's not as much as he got in the past - or as much as they would like - doesn't mean it's not still a sizeable amount of cash....

All those Ford logos aren't being given to them as a gesture of goodwill. Plus, where do you think all the Castrol cash comes from....?

[AnttiL]

But it's still more like a sponsorship than an ownership.

As for Castrol, even the full-factory teams have external sponsors with similarly sized decals. But Red Bull must be bigger for this season.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Ford (Performance) give M-Sport a lot of support in developing their car and get their logos on it in return. But they dont give them cash and certainly dont provide funding to pay for the drivers - that's down to M.Wilson and his company.

Castrol have sponsored M-Sport cars for many years. This isn't directly because of Ford but Ford do 'recommend' Castrol / BP oil and fuels in general.

[Eli]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/t...nged/10333742/

As previously reported in Italian media outlets, Alpine Skoda & Opel are the manufacturers in question.

[djip]

https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/t...nged/10333742/

As previously reported in Italian media outlets, Alpine Skoda & Opel are the manufacturers in question.

I know the prospect of electric rally cars is not that appealing, however if the series wants to become relevant again and draw attention from multiple manufacturers, it ought to go full electric. Like it or not, the transition to full electric for road cars is coming, and splashing cars around multuple terrains, in all wetather conditions would be a PR dream to demontrsate to customers the value proposition of the technology. Race on sunday, buy on monday at its best...
I'll miss the excitment of screaming cars in the middle of the night of the 70's, the pure speed of Gr.B and recent-specs cars, but the writing is on the wall ....

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Two big problems though...

1. Existing battery life does not allow for rally distances

2. Near silent electric rally cars could alienate the old fanbase (and be dangerous)

[ictus]

Two big problems though...

1. Existing battery life does not allow for rally distances

2. Near silent electric rally cars could alienate the old fanbase (and be dangerous)

1. changable batteries will do the trick
2. but can also bring new fans, they can also mount speakers and simulate grB sounds

[mknight]

Two big problems though...

1. Existing battery life does not allow for rally distances

2. Near silent electric rally cars could alienate the old fanbase (and be dangerous)

1. Is BS and you know it. Check out how often Baumschlager has to charge and compare it with refuels for petrol rally cars, Baumschlager himself says it's like driving Lancers. Some changes to itenary might be needed but that's it.

2. Yes the cars need some sound, Baumschlager, Paddon and now Corsa-e are all testing different solutions. Managable problem.

Stating that electric cars definitely won't come by 2025 (as stated by someone in the article) makes sure no new manus show up.

[rallyfiend]

1. Is BS and you know it. Check out how often Baumschlager has to charge and compare it with refuels for petrol rally cars, Baumschlager himself says it's like driving Lancers. Some changes to itenary might be needed but that's it.

2. Yes the cars need some sound, Baumschlager, Paddon and now Corsa-e are all testing different solutions. Managable problem.

Stating that electric cars definitely won't come by 2025 (as stated by someone in the article) makes sure no new manus show up.

Well, they won't turn up before 2025 because these current cars are a fixed 3-year homologation....

[Mk2 RS2000]

Two big problems though...

1. Existing battery life does not allow for rally distances

Hydrogen cell technology overcomes battery size, power & storage issues