Cut and paste please http://www.itv-f1.com/news/news_story/17811

clicky (http://www.itv-f1.com/news/news_story/17811):)

I heard Hyundai are leaving too and GSE from WSB:(

This was suggested by Malcolm Wilson some months ago. To be honest though I don't think they will. Cost cutting, as we all know, is being instigated in WRC. I assume that the thinking is that cost cutting on current events will warrant the inclusion of extra ones. Whatever the reasons, the FIA will have to be careful or they will completely destroy the best form of motorsport!

Can confirm that GSE are leaving WSB for definite :(

i doubt ford will be leaving WRC - if someone as big as ford pulls out, WRC will go down the pan.

I work for the architects responsible for the Ford WRC headquarters up here in Cumbria - and they're constantly upgrading and improving the workshops etc.

there's also rumours in our local paper that McRae is going back there next season.


[Edited by messiah - 9/22/2003 9:46:01 AM]

Ford would be better scrapping Jaguar F1 Team and putting the £££ into WRC and not the other way aroung

Channel 4 interviewed Malcolm Wilson at the last rally & asked him if it was true that Ford were going to buy out Duval's contract & give a drive to McRae.
Wilson burst out laughing & continued to laugh for about 20 seconds.
when he composed himself - he asked if they wanted to start the interview again.

malcom wilson should stop laughing - I cant remember duvals name being mentioned on the WRC programme!

Wilson burst out laughing & continued to laugh for about 20 seconds.
when he composed himself - he asked if they wanted to start the interview again.
McRae at Ford next year then. Never believe any rumours until they've been officially denied! ;)

The only way McRae will be at Ford is if he buys a ride. The other drivers are tied into contracts and i'm sure M-Sport would be willing to run a privateer in the WRC for around £5m!

privateers won't get the latest WRC car - they'll get last years car.

so basically he'll be given the focus that he used to drive last season.

[Edited by messiah - 9/25/2003 9:22:35 AM]

No he'll get this years car next year;)

Remember when McRae said he was leaving Ford? He was well off the pace. Well, rumour has it that he didn't finish the last few rallies cos he found out that he wasn't using the current spec of car and when he challenged the Ford management about it, they basically shrugged their shoulders and said "Well you've decided to leave"! And that came from a reliable source within the team!

Can confirm that Hyundai have pulled out of the World Rally Championship :(

Mark@wrx.

I know that to be rubbish. Colin always got the very best car.
When Cosworth dyno'd the 3 engines down at Northampton, there was always a difference of a few bhp between the engines and Colin got the best, followed by Carlos and then Marko. Same thing happens now with Marko and Francois, with Marko getting the slightly better stuff.

Who was your 'reliable' source?

DR

I'm not mentioning names on here as you should well know what happens when things are publicised! It was a member of the test team, though.

Whatever the truth, the fact was that Ford couldn't afford to pay the big salary to Mcrae and develop the new car. Even a team like Ford doesn't have bottomless pits of money.

Whilst it is true that they are trying to reduce costs, running two more rallies means that overall costs will go up. When teams such as Ford start saying that they might not compete in all the events, then you really have to start wondering why they are making the changes.

In addition, any rule change which means that one of the most exciting and successful drivers of recent times is left without a drive, must be questioned. Sanity check time I think.

Chris

McRae would have been left without a seat sooner or later. Three years of largely mediocre performances and the emergence of a new wave of (cheaper) drivers would have seen to that eventually. However, the fact that he's been turfed out by a rule that blatantly penalises success is somewhat unfair. The irony is that if he'd trundled through the past three seasons without getting a podium (as Freddy Loix has), he'd have qualified for a drive almost anywhere.

As it is, the new rules make it very difficult for up and coming drivers to find berths at the big teams, which is, surely, the opposite of their intent.

The way the new rules have been steamrollered through by the FIA without apparent consultation with, or agreement from, the works teams does seem bizarre. Not only will they weaken the WRC as a TV spectacle, ever-falling numbers of entrants and the 1000 pistes system will make an even worse proposition for spectators.

...Which, I suppose, might be the point...

[Edited by greasemonkey - 9/28/2003 11:33:15 PM]