Subaru is withdrawing from the WRC - Petter Solberg without a drive?!
16-12-2008, 07:46 AM
#1
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Subaru is withdrawing from the WRC - Petter Solberg without a drive?!
According to reliable sources close to Petter Solberg it seems like Subaru is going to pull out of WRC.
Article in Norways largest newspaper:
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=555524
Another casualty of the finance situation? What's next?
Article in Norways largest newspaper:
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=555524
Another casualty of the finance situation? What's next?
16-12-2008, 08:16 AM
#5
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16-12-2008, 08:18 AM
#6
think its a good thing, it might bring about the much needed change to international rallying now there are only two works teams.
Rallying has been boring for many years now imho and I used to follow it a lot.
Rallying has been boring for many years now imho and I used to follow it a lot.
16-12-2008, 08:25 AM
#7
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Shame! International Motorsport isn't cheap and to stay at the top is even harder and more expensive, something that Subaru haven't been able to do for a good few years now! This has been a long time comingI think.... 
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16-12-2008, 08:39 AM
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oh dear... thats 2 teams pulling their cars now... suzuki have gona also... think its gonna change to the super 2000 format soon! they aren't too far behind the wrc cars in terms of stage times! they sound the bollocks too! but such a shame that there are now 4 drivers without a drive next year!!
16-12-2008, 09:01 AM
#11
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They should all go back to Mk2 Escort's 
It is a shame for the sport and drivers though, I'm sure they'll be back when the new S2000 rules are in place a few years later.
It is a shame for the sport and drivers though, I'm sure they'll be back when the new S2000 rules are in place a few years later.
16-12-2008, 09:13 AM
#14
Massive loss to rallying imo.
Subaru were the only team who actually had a road car that was anywhere near the WRC car [4x4 annd Turbo'd]. Might seem like a backwards step but atleast when it was GrpA we had road cars that were actually quite close to the cars rallying.
Subaru were the only team who actually had a road car that was anywhere near the WRC car [4x4 annd Turbo'd]. Might seem like a backwards step but atleast when it was GrpA we had road cars that were actually quite close to the cars rallying.
16-12-2008, 09:20 AM
#16
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The story on Autosport:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72492
Just remember you read it on PassionFord before the international or UK media brought it to you...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72492
Just remember you read it on PassionFord before the international or UK media brought it to you...
16-12-2008, 11:01 AM
#20
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How much longer will ford stay in with the massive losses they are
making globally ?
Gotta say wrc and f1 are on very dodgey ground right now .
puddy
making globally ?
Gotta say wrc and f1 are on very dodgey ground right now .
puddy
16-12-2008, 11:44 AM
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2009 will be a hard year for the WRC. Only Ford and Citroën as manufactures. Hopefully 2010 will be better with the new S2000 regulations.
16-12-2008, 01:13 PM
#27
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Do you reckon they will have a minutes silence on Scoobynet 
Sign of the times I suppose,
1 thing that does get me thinking, how bigger losses these massive worldwide companies are losing for them to do this.
Sign of the times I suppose,
1 thing that does get me thinking, how bigger losses these massive worldwide companies are losing for them to do this.
16-12-2008, 04:23 PM
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Ford confirmed for next year and very happy about their involvement.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72508
Apparently the Ford B team Stobart isnt confirmed yet so we might even lose more WRC cars. Think I might give Rally Ireland a miss.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72508
Apparently the Ford B team Stobart isnt confirmed yet so we might even lose more WRC cars. Think I might give Rally Ireland a miss.
16-12-2008, 04:30 PM
#30
thing with subaru is they used rallying to sell cars and the new subaru is about as popular as the clap, i havn't seen 1 new sti on the road. compared to the old days loads of people wanted subarus,there was even waiting lists for them.
subaru started getting serious in 1989 with a legacy rs tuned and built by sti and the car was sent to banbury for prodrive to run. i wonder what dave richards is going to do to keep the buisness ticking over. i suppose there will be another prodrive sale of rally stuff coming now
subaru started getting serious in 1989 with a legacy rs tuned and built by sti and the car was sent to banbury for prodrive to run. i wonder what dave richards is going to do to keep the buisness ticking over. i suppose there will be another prodrive sale of rally stuff coming now
16-12-2008, 04:37 PM
#32
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Really generalised here but what with Honda pulling out of F1 & now Subaru with Rally...Where are the Japs going to have an interest?
Nissan should clean up in the GT races but still leaves a void IMO.
Nissan should clean up in the GT races but still leaves a void IMO.
16-12-2008, 04:59 PM
#33
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basically the s2000 motors are 4x4 2litre n/a. obviously more spec than that, but thats the main part
massively reduced running costs, and production costs, and cars much closer competitively.
think the intercontinental rally championship runs these, with pug, renault, fiat etc involved, and iv seen a fair few mg zr s2000's running in the british championships and on rally GB
not the worst thing to happen to the WRc if they bring them in thats for sure
massively reduced running costs, and production costs, and cars much closer competitively.
think the intercontinental rally championship runs these, with pug, renault, fiat etc involved, and iv seen a fair few mg zr s2000's running in the british championships and on rally GB
not the worst thing to happen to the WRc if they bring them in thats for sure
16-12-2008, 05:26 PM
#36
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I work at Prodrive, for the moment anyway, lol. Mads Ostberg has confirmed his entry in the 2009 WRC using this years car doing 8 of the 12 rounds, so there will be at least 1 latest spec Subaru doing most of the championship, hopefully more.
16-12-2008, 06:30 PM
#38
i think atkinson could of done better aswell imo,he got mcraes drive and thus mcrae got to spend more time with his family and other interests.
i have seen the s2000 cars just recently i saw higgins in one and yeah he was fast but they are still crap to watch next to a full house group a car or wrc machine
i have seen the s2000 cars just recently i saw higgins in one and yeah he was fast but they are still crap to watch next to a full house group a car or wrc machine
16-12-2008, 06:55 PM
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S2000 or S2000+ whatever, is just bullshit. FIA is killing rallying, but its already too late, as it is with F1. We have to accept the S2000 cars are the future, even if it is not what we want.
16-12-2008, 07:44 PM
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personally i thought mark higgins looked pretty impressive in his s2000 mg zr throughout the year, id much sooner watch them than the endless group N crap we cud end up with if it ends up like a PWRC fest!!!!
they banned group B cos it was too fast, they will end up banning full WRC spec motors cos they too expensive, but it wnt kill rallying, always a new class to bring through, then the boundaries get pushed, rules change, and the cycle continues
they banned group B cos it was too fast, they will end up banning full WRC spec motors cos they too expensive, but it wnt kill rallying, always a new class to bring through, then the boundaries get pushed, rules change, and the cycle continues