Early Toyota WRC prototype

"El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First!" (lightningzone) 03/22/2014 at 09:06 • Filed to: None

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WRC will become exciting, as VW and Hyundai won't make the life easy for the new boy.

It would also be the first time the biggest automaker from Japan, takes on the biggest automaker from Korea, in a major racing series.

Ford, Citroen. Just leave WRC, and concentrate on a series you actually want to be in.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 03/22/2014 at 10:27

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Ford really should start sponsoring M-Sport again, now that they make a healthy profit. And Citroen already is in the series they want to be: WTCC.

Dusty Ventures > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 03/22/2014 at 13:07

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Technically Ford already has left. I hope Citroen doesn't drop out, WRC needs as many manufacturers as they can get, andso far they look like they're closest to battling VW on speed.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Dusty Ventures 03/22/2014 at 13:35

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I'd rather have fewer, but more committed, automakers, than having a whole bunch of them, but with most putting rallying low on their priority list. Hyundai and VW, have something to prove, they want to show that they can be the top dog in rally racing. Toyota will want to show that it can win in this era too. Citroen, won many times in this era, it has nothing to prove, WTCC is more fitted right now. If M-Sport wants to continue, it should run cars from VW or Hyundai, because right now, Ford is better off without rally racing, and with opening a new chapter in its motorsports history. Maybe GM will want to tackle WRC in the near future, presuming it will stop losing money in Europe.

Or maybe Renault will push its Dacia brand into rallying, to make James May talk even more about it.

And Fiat, has too many brands, to ignore all motorsports activities. Maybe they will want to promote their future 5 door, bigger 500 into WRC, or the Jeep Renegade(or the future baby Renegade).

And don't say that the Renegade is too big.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Fred (FreddsterExprs) 03/22/2014 at 13:43

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Like I told Dusty, Ford is at a point where it needs to fully commit to a new challenge, this era of WRC belongs with the old Ford, the split Ford, the Ford that owned some of the most valuable brands in the world, but wasn't able to make them shine. I'm think that GTE is the best place Ford can go now, only problem is with it? I don't know if the Mustang is focused enough to make a good GTE car.

Dusty Ventures > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 03/22/2014 at 14:21

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M-Sport's going to stick with Ford (and should IMHO) because while Ford isn't commuted to rally at the top WRC level they're still highly committed to being a part of the R2/R5 program, and M-Sport is their designated fabrication and development firm. As for Citroen, WTCC may be their top priority but they most definitely still care about rally. That said, I wouldn't rule out the powers upon high deciding to consolidate the entire rally program under a single banner (probably Peugeot) instead of the current PSA Peugeot Citroen hodgepodge they have now (Citroen in R2 & R3, Pug in R2 & R5, Citroen in WRC).

Dusty Ventures > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 03/22/2014 at 14:31

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Also, the advantage of more manufacturers/teams is more seats and more competitors, which helps build a stronger championship image. And M-Sport couldn't switch to VW or Hyundai even if they wanted to because neither of those teams are willing to sell (or even currently rent) their cars to an outside team, particularly a team that would be eligible for manufacturer points. And M-Sport needs to remain a manufacturer-eligible team or they'll lose the sponsors the still have, like Castrol.

King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 03/22/2014 at 17:33

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I've been beating on the Jeep to WRC drum since the initial announcement that a Fiat based Jeep was going to exist. It is a perfect fit.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider 03/22/2014 at 18:21

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Still, the Jeep look a bit taller than the Mini, wonder what the official size is.