The Joke that just keeps on giving, Mini to withdraw backing for works WRC team at end of 2012 season

Eight months ago,  Mini announced that Prodrive will no longer run its manufacturer entry in the World Rally Championship, now on be a works-supported private team. Mini agreed that time the Motorsport Italia-run WRC Team Mini Portugal will contest the remaining rounds of the WRC as the works Mini manufacturer entry team, with Armindo Araujo (later on the season replaced by Chris Atkinson) and Paulo Nobre driving, with Prodrive reduced to the position of a works-supported privateer.

With today's news, Mini has announced that it is to terminate its works involvement in the World Rally Championship at the end of the 2012 season. Which means the Motorsport Italia-run WRC Team Mini Portugal outfit will no longer be the manufacturer entry team anymore but Mini said that it remains committed to rallying and that BMW Motorsport would continue to develop the car’s 1.6 turbo engine in conjunction with Prodrive. Meanwhile, Prodrive will still development programme for both the Mini Countrymen John Cooper Works WRC and S2000 cars next year and will continue to work towards a full programme with the Mini Countrymen John Cooper Works WRC next year. So next season any Mini's does show up in any rounds will be only privateer teams.

My opinion eight months ago was that "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 in that period of time.

I also said: "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."

Which, they have drove me wrong at Rallye Deutschland when Chris Atkinson finished fifth in the rally.

With todays news this is good news in ways they ain't surportting the WRC Team Mini Portugal team anymore. But, personally a complete and utter joke for that brand not continuing as a works team. At least Citroen, VW, Hyundai and Ford are going no where from the WRC.

But, I wish that Mini and Prodrive didn't split up as a works team early on the season and continue for the 2013 season as-well. Because I feel that the Prodrive and Mini partnership would have worked well, Dani Sordo would have been top six in WRC drivers championship standings at this stage of the season, a few more podiums this season as-well and maybe fighting for rally wins. Next season with the news from two weeks back that Sébastien Loeb having announced that he will go part-time in 2013 before a probable switch to the World Touring Car Championship from 2014. Could be a great time for Mini and Prodrive to win a few rallies and maybe a shot on the WRC drivers and manufactures titles with the right people driving the car.

At the end of the day, Mini is still in rally in some sort of way. But some of the upper management at BMW and Mini are a complete joke with this rally project. Anyway, end of post for now. New post soon. Bye.