[WRC] News & rumours (part IV) 2016

[Danny0405]

- 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.

[Andre Oliveira]

Some remarks:
- You all put Ogier to M-Sport with Tanak alongside, but you forgot that Camilli has signed contract with M-sport to 2017 as 2nd driver. So it's same way as replace already signed drivers in Hyundai or Citroen. And if Hyundai have money for that move, M-Sport doesn't have it. So it's probably be Ogier-Tanak-Camilli
- 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
- And I have strong premonition that's Ogier knows about this situation, and already have a deal with Malcolm with VW approval. Because Ogier at GB feels so relax, he know about rumors inside VW Team and having direct access to VW WRC Team heads as can told him all situation.
- And looks like JML know about this as well, but can't find a good choice for 2017 yet.

1. FFSA M-Sport relation are betten than ever That trio would be enough to M-Sport.
2. Contracts have WRC car clause i presume, so, they can break it.
3. Many rumours about that yes
4. Latvala in Toyota are written in the stars since the begin of TMR WRC scene.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Even if he didnt know for definite Ogier is way too smart and too big in the sport to be taken by surprise by this news.

I think he knew and thats why he was so keen to ensure the Manufacturers title in GB before the news broke.

M-Sport is my bet for him.

[Simmi]

- 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.

Like Andre says, this is the reason get-out clauses were invented for contracts.

[GigiGalliNo1]

On one note: think about this realistically.

Ford coming back and supporting M-Sport.

Ford have their badge on the front and back, stickers on the side and logo on the TV. Everyone knows it's a Fiesta. A Ford model.

What difference to the manufacturer will it make if they invest back with M Wilson and M-Sport?

Yes they could, emphasis on could win the Championship and Fords name would be up there again... but realistically is it worth it?

I'm not baging the sport or team or process of having the car company back but think about it.

[RS]

On one note: think about this realistically.

Ford coming back and supporting M-Sport.

Ford have their badge on the front and back, stickers on the side and logo on the TV. Everyone knows it's a Fiesta. A Ford model.

What difference to the manufacturer will it make if they invest back with M Wilson and M-Sport?

Yes they could, emphasis on could win the Championship and Fords name would be up there again... but realistically is it worth it?

I'm not baging the sport or team or process of having the car company back but think about it.

Understand what you're saying but if Ford were to offer some financial support then maybe Malcolm could afford Ogier instead of Ostberg..

[Jack4688`]

If I remember correctly from a few pages back it seems like the other manufacturers would need to agree to allow dispensation for a car to be homologated without the required production numbers yet. How open to that notion do we think Citroen and Hyundai would be if M-Sport were the ones who managed to sign Ogier?

I'm not suggesting they'd do that just to be petty and use a technicality to try an eliminate one source of competition for next year, but it'd be a pretty bitter pill to swallow to say to M-Sport, "Yes of course you can run that car before you produced the number of cars we went to the bother of making. Oh Sebastien will be driving it? That's lovely news, sport is the winner here today."

Or is it simply a function of the FIA to allow homologation if some part of the requirement has not been met?

[WUff1]

If they were planning to return in 2018, which is what I had heard, they could accelerate their comeback with this news to get Ogier. Or maybe they have already decided to return in 2017 ?
Remember everything is nearly in place with Msport anyway, who have tested and developed the car with a lot of technical assistance from Ford.

They just need the financial clout that a huge global manufacturer would bring to land Seb. He is a gamechanger for these teams, in that he is as close as you can get to guaranteed success in the WRC. Every team including Citroen and Hyundai should be trying to attract Seb by doing whatever it takes.....

We shouldn´t forget also Red Bull could sponsor another team now, as for instance M-Sport

[AL14]

Worse silly season from years.

Anyway. I guess I spoke to early back then

[Simmi]

One side of this that isn't being talked about so much is the impact that losing VW sponsorship will have on events - namely Sweden, Rally Legend etc.

One column here - potentially quite worrying for Sweden to lose what is effectively a title sponsor at late notice - http://www.vf.se/sport/bilsport/det-...allyt%E2%80%9D

Watching this Colin Clark vid also helps give an appreciation of all the things VW were doing behind the scenes for the good of the sport - https://www.facebook.com/voiceofrall...9461530883180/