Quote Originally Posted by KKS View Post
- VW drivers have signed to VW in 2017 and have salary, in one hand they can "drive for free" in such team as M-sport, in other hand VW can say "You have a contract and you must sit tight whole 2017 and maybe do some rallys with SkodaR5". So future this trio also can be decided by VW top-management.
You are right about the importance of the contract termination strategy of VW for their drivers. W

However, VW is at Risk on this subject if they adopt a stringent strategy.
They have no more to play in the WRC first and, on the other hand, let imagine the négative impact on VW's image if they refuse to free a 4x World Champion driver, a 3x Vice-Champion driver + Mikkelsen, without anything to do. Yet this fast withdrawal will have some négative impact but minimized by the fact that nobody Will be fired. But if they make the mistake of retaining drivers, they Will have no confidence at all from drivers of any championship for the next decade, something which would be very problematic if they decide to return to the motorsport in the future. And it would be a nightmare for the image of the brand, destroying the job done during the last 4 years.

I think a gentleman agreement is needed for both drivers and VW (something such as VW pay only one of the two years remaining). In addition to that, drivers may have clauses about the issue of VW withdrawal in their contract.