Prodrive to return to rallying in 2011
 

Rumours around that they have abandoned plans for F1 and will return to rallying in 2011. I wonder what car/manufacturer?

I think that was a case of economic downturn but still wanting to race. Do we try to find an f1 budget or a rallying budget :lol1:

“Taking on the challenge of starting a brand new Formula One team, finding the necessary funding and developing the car from scratch is a massive undertaking and not to be under estimated,” said David Richards. “As expected, we’ve witnessed the financial and technical challenges that the new teams have faced this year in just getting to the grid, let alone being competitive and whilst I have enormous admiration for their efforts I don’t believe this is an appropriate strategy for Prodrive or Aston Martin to adopt. We’ve enjoyed a successful involvement in F1 in the past and respect the value it can create; we will therefore keep a close eye on developments in the championship. However, I have always made it very clear that the timing for a Prodrive entry would be judged on two criteria: that we could be competitive and that the business case would make it a financially viable proposition.

“Today, if we were to adopt the strategy of starting a new team, I don’t believe it is possible to meet these two conditions.”

Be good if they enter WRC with somthing other than a Ford or a Citroen. The leader board normally reads Citroen ford ford citroen ford or any combination of the above but usually starting with a citreon.
No disrespect to Loeb in fact the opposite total respect to a class driver.

Agreed, but which car company will commit to that sort of investment as there are only really a handful of companies that can afford to get involved?
Toyota (could you imagime if one of their cars suffered a brake failure how that would go down in the press!!) :freak3:
GM are virtually skint.
BMW wouldn't want to get their hands dirty.
Mercedes are too heavily into F1, likewise Renault.

The only comapnay I can think of off the top of my head is Honda, but which one of their models would make a respectable WRC car? :wonder:

Honda CRV LOL
It would be great to see scoobs out there again. But nobodies got any coffers. :(

Would be good to see them make a return, but I reckon it will be with a Ford or Citroen. :(

Don't Ford still have a small interest in Aston Martin?

A bit like me then. :lol1:

How about Mitsubishi ?

Apparently its with Mini.

:wonder: :confused:

yup mini theres a press release with a picture somewhere

Will be good to see another team entering the WRC regardless who they are, Ford and Citroen need some competition. :luxhello:

Is it WRC or IRC I wonder???

:wonder::cool:

Still seems very clandestine.

Prodrive crossover linky