Ford pulls out of WRC

[Bundy]

This is pretty big news in the rallying circles with Ford having directly been in the sport for the best part of 25 years deciding to no longer fund a rallying programme.

This comes on the back of news that Mini are no longer be financially supporting Chris Atkinson's WRC campaign.

M-Sport who currently run Ford's rallying programme will likely continue to enter privately run Fiestas.

However, even with these two manufacturers withdrawing and Citroen running a reduced programme next year with Loeb only competing in some events, there is good news on the horizon with Volkswagon starting a factory effort next year with the Polo.

www.speedcafe.com/2012/10/16/ford-pulls-factory-wrc-programme/

www.speedcafe.com/2012/10/13/mini-pulls-financial-support-on-atkinsons-wrc-team/

[HDT05]

Rallying has been dieing it seems ever since Colin McRae was killed, but it's pretty much dead now

[Raptorman]

There is more value in competing in the European and the US Global Rallycross than there is in WRC. So next years WRC will be privately entered Citroens, Minis and Fords vs the manufacturer backed teams from VeeDub and Hyundai with Toyota rejoining in 2014.

[crikey]

Oct 16, 2012 12:23:20 GMT 10 HDT05 said:

Rallying has been dieing it seems ever since Colin McRae was killed, but it's pretty much dead now

This, Which is a shame.

[commodore30s]

Oct 16, 2012 17:28:27 GMT 10 Raptorman said:

There is more value in competing in the European and the US Global Rallycross than there is in WRC. So next years WRC will be privately entered Citroens, Minis and Fords vs the manufacturer backed teams from VeeDub and Hyundai with Toyota rejoining in 2014.

The Citroens are still manufacturer entries, it is just Loeb scaling back his rallying (similiar to what the likes of Sandro Munari, Hannu Mikkola and Walter Rohrl did later in their rally careers)