2012 World Rally Championship

[Xosé Estrada]

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[Rokas Charlapavicius]

Just as WRC seemed to go back closer to it's glory days Ford announced today that they are going to withdraw factory presence. This now leaves "Citroen" and newcomers "Hyundai" and "Volkswagen" as factory teams. This, however, doesn't mean the end of Ford in WRC as M-Sport will continue to use "Ford Fiesta" in the future.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/ford-withdraw-factory-presence-wrc-160204110.html

 

[nijeat]

I think it's not that Citroen vs Hyundai vs Volkswagen, it will be Citroen & its kids.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Yeah not good for the sport. To be honest I don't see Citroen continuing either in rallying. As Loeb will make the move to the WTCC in 2014 maybe the car brand will also move with him?

 

[Harry Platt]

At least Ford are support M-Sport with the development of the Fiesta WRC of which the new facelifted model is set to debut next year. I am not really interested in the Manufacturers Championship anymore, it is just a joke. A teams championship would be more appropriate for the WRC in it's current state. I do hope M-sport can get a good sponsor for next season and produce good results which might entice Ford to reinstate it's manu status

 

[Warren Dawes]

I tend to agree, the Manufacturer's Champs has been so one sided for the past couple of years, and I imagine that Citroen won't have much of a challenge next year either, that it won't continue as previously.
I also suspect (fear) that this is a continueing withdrawl by Ford from full motor racing support. Next to slide by the wayside might be V8 Supercars, in maybe a couple of years.
They just aren't financially strong, and Ford are moving away from V8's and RWD cars in the Australian domestic market.

 

[Harry Platt]

True true. The slowly declining number of teams running blue badge in V8SC over the last few years has been worrying... And now that Stone Bros is running Mercs next year, it doesn't really get any better. Such a shame because Ford has always been one the most widely participating manufacturers in motorsport.

 

[mohammad2011]

Sébastien Loeb is now 9 times WRC champion since 2004, he is the rally king. Congratulations!

All hail Loeb!

 

[William Levesque]

A FWD Falcon with a 4 cylinder or something now is it ? Rubbish, complete rubbish.

I guess the few of their race cars left will get the park assist yeah ?

 

[mohammad2011]

In my imagination, some people can offend FIA to force the Group B to be allowed for compete again, and the huge of crowds and spectators shouldn't be allowed at the side of the road.

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

Turbocharged Four-In-Line are what the most part of the world will buy. V8s are not that efficient, and Ford has been and will be/wants to stay a mass producer.
In Australia, things may be different though, but maybe it's just the hard cut where something good has to say bye as well.

They drop hundreds of employees in Belgium (I think) and how to explain this in "wasting" money in the sport? (in speech marks...)

 

[Harry Platt]

I must say that here in NZ the V6 powered falcons (and similarly holdens) seem to be the most popular spec. Not that this has much to do with WRC.