Mini/Prodrive splitting up WRC program, complete utter joke! What next for Prodrive?

Second post of the week an a very angry one too. Mini yesterday has has confirmed that Prodrive will no longer run its manufacturer entry in the World Rally Championship, now on be a works-supported private team. The announcement comes after a weeks of rumours of a possible split between the two parties, despite a successful run of three podium finishes that Mini came back in WRC at the middle of 2011. Despite, the Countrymen WRC won the first round in 2012 Middle East Rally Championship, at the Qatar International Rally last month.



Mini has agreed that the Motorsport Italia-run WRC Team Mini Portugal will contest the remaining rounds of the WRC, with Armindo Araujo and Paulo Nobre driving, with Prodrive reduced to the position of a works-supported privateer.

However, Prodrive who worked alongside BMW to develop the car, will continue to be responsible for the construction and support of Mini Countrymen John Cooper Works WRC customer cars and will work on the continued development of the new car, the homologation of which has now been underwritten until 2018.

My opinion on the news I said on Twitter on Monday was the "Mini brand is a complete joke, splitting up with Prodrive for WRC program as a works team, a complete shot in the foot for Mini". When you looking a Prodrive WRC history is great, winning with Subaru with both Legacy and Impreza cars. And winning rallies with Tommi Makkinen and Juha Kankkunen. And WRC titles wins with the late Colin McRae, the late Richard Burns and Petter Solberg.



A bad decision from Mini, I hope Prodrive win a WRC round this year just to prove Mini wrong, I can see still under Prodrive that Mini still win this year if the luck this there they will win, maybe on a tarmac round possibly. Because I can't see Motorsport Italia-run WRC Team Mini Portugal winning a WRC round let alone a top 6 finish in a WRC round. A complete shot in the foot from Mini.

What if at the end of the season construction of Mini Countrymen John Cooper Works WRC development of the car goes to the WRC Team Mini Portugal team. Prodrive loses the works-supported privateer status. I think Prodrive should find another Manufacture to go Rallying with instead of Mini. Because, next season Volkswagen are coming back to WRC with their Polo R WRC car. Maybe one of them could be Hyundai. Hyundai Veloster is a example what I am taking about it, does suit WRC-S2000 rules very well.

Hyundai have competed in WRC back in the past with the Coupe F2 Rally Car and Accent World Rally Car back in 2000 to 2003. Best results were two forth places for the Accent in the WRC back in 2000 and 2001 with Alister McRae and Kenneth Eriksson.





With Prodrive and Hyundai working could be a better deal. Can't see Prodrive with Subaru again. Not sure with BMW/Mini will continue. At the end of it, its just a thought at the end of the day. Anyway here below Rhys Millen in his Rallycross version of Hyundai Veloster Rally Car on the golf course playing golf. Enjoy it, very funny film.



End of post for now. New one soon. Bye.