M-Sport Ford World Rally Teams

[tomhlord]

I can't understand how some of you guys are fixated with "factory team". Does it really matter? Was Ralliart or Prodrive a "factory team"? No, they were backed by a car company to run a rally program. Hell, even the TTE was pretty much Ove Anders son's pet project till the mid 90s. What is really significant is that Ford was and is still backing M Sport to run a World Rally program. If the team is not named "Ford World Rally Team" or "Ford Performance " is secondary.

No, Ralliart and Prodrive were not factory teams. But they were 'manufactuer' teams.

M-Sport get technical support - a grey area to what that amounts to - but not enough funds from Ford to officially call it a Manufacturer entry.

Citroen and Hyundai are factory teams. Their motorsport divisions are owned by the car manufacturer. Toyota is a manufacturer team with the car manufactuer outsourcing and funding the programme.

[Watson]

I can't understand how some of you guys are fixated with "factory team". Does it really matter? Was Ralliart or Prodrive a "factory team"? No, they were backed by a car company to run a rally program. Hell, even the TTE was pretty much Ove Anders son's pet project till the mid 90s. What is really significant is that Ford was and is still backing M Sport to run a World Rally program. If the team is not named "Ford World Rally Team" or "Ford Performance " is secondary.

Yes and no. What matters in the end is technical expertise and dough. M-Sport has plenty of the former and needed more of the latter from Ford to stay competitive and still write paychecks to Ogier and Evans.

[pantealex]

Tommi Mäkinen Racing does not run the Toyota Yaris WRC cars. Its drivers are Jarkko Nikara, Takamoto Katsuta and Hiroki Arai.

But it's true that the WRC teams are separate units from the factory. Citroen is probably the most factory-run team of the current ones?

https://www.talouselama.fi/uutiset/t...=ampparit:8f57

Sorry, it´s in Finnish. But actually it´s TMR which builds those Yaris.

[Rally Power]

M-Sport get technical support - a grey area to what that amounts to - but not enough funds from Ford to officially call it a Manufacturer entry.

Is there a supporting/funding limit from which a brand can figure as a WRC manufacturer entry? Once they allow (and support) a private team to run their models they surely are entitled to get the brand name on the manus entry form. Ford choose not to do it in 2013, as they were having a terrible time (bad financial results, factories closing), but the current situation is much better and, apparently, there’s no reason for not having Ford name on WRC entry list.

[AnttiL]

https://www.talouselama.fi/uutiset/t...=ampparit:8f57

Sorry, it´s in Finnish. But actually it´s TMR which builds those Yaris.

I understood that TGR buys the development from TMR but TGR is the official company entering the cars to the rallies.

[pantealex]

I understood that TGR buys the development from TMR but TGR is the official company entering the cars to the rallies.

YES, but TMR does all the work.

[AnttiL]

YES, but TMR does all the work.

Now, if we would have, let's say, Ford Performance WRT, which would buy the development and service from M-Sport, we'd have the similar situation.

[AndyRAC]

So improved technical backing now from Ford Performance - but still not 'officially' a Ford Manufacturer/ Works team; still M-Sport World Rally Team. Good that they will get improved technical backing, but slightly disappointing that it appears they're still not coming fully onboard.

[Watson]

So improved technical backing now from Ford Performance - but still not 'officially' a Ford Manufacturer/ Works team; still M-Sport World Rally Team. Good that they will get improved technical backing, but slightly disappointing that it appears they're still not coming fully onboard.

I think I read that Red Bull is investing quite a bit into the salaries of both Ogier and Evans. If both or all three cars will sport the RB livery next year it would be quite telling as to where the money comes from. Ford might just play a much bigger part in R&D but not necessarily in terms of financing M-Sport a great deal.

Anyway, if Ogier approves it must be a decent project.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Local TV report on @MSportLtd's success this season speaking to company boss Malcolm Wilson about what it felt like to win the World Rally Championship and his plans for the future: http://www.itv.com/news/border/updat...bastien-ogier/