Official WRC thread

Looks good. I sure do like the look of the Fiesta S2000 Henning was driving in Bulgaria, espeically in that Expert livery! :)
 
So now it's beginning to look official: Mini will enter the WRC. :D

From autosport.com

Mini poised to announce WRC entry

By David Evans Sunday, July 18th 2010, 19:06 GMT

After months of speculation, Mini and Prodrive will announce a World Rally Championship programme this week, according to AUTOSPORT's sources.

Mini's first-ever World Rally Car, which will be based on the Countryman road car, has been in preparation for months at Prodrive's Banbury base and the BMW 1.6-litre turbocharged engine recently arrived to turn a rolling shell into a full World Rally Car. Testing of the new machine is expected to begin soon and, as technical director David Lapworth said, once it starts testing it will not stop.

"When we start testing on our rally car development programme, it will be intensive," said Lapworth. "We still have a good timescale to work towards for testing and we're happy with where we're at."

Some sources have indicated Mini will formally launch the car in Rome just ahead of the Rally d'Italia-Sardegna in May next season - the car is not expected to compete in any of the first four rounds of next year's World Rally Championship.

Prodrive has remained tight-lipped about any announcement this week, denying that it has anything planned. The British preparation firm has yet to even admit to any kind of agreement with BMW or Mini - even though AUTOSPORT broke the story of Mini's return to rallying's highest level in August last year.

Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg is being tipped to do some of the early development driving - and to take one of the factory seats in next year's WRC programme. Ostberg is a long-standing customer of Prodrive and is expected to run a Mini-based team in next year's WRC as well as driving an official car.

Ostberg has resisted the opportunity to drive any other cars in the WRC or Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season ? including a Peugeot 207 S2000 after a test attended by Sebastien Loeb ? out of loyalty to Prodrive.

Also, Rally Finland next week and I'll be there again this year. Yay!
 
I'll be attending Rally Finland as well, after missing two years. Propably won't visit any real stages as I don't have car that I could use, so I'll make do with the super special and some service park action I guess... And some nightlife since my summer holiday happens to start next week as well. Should be good...
 
That news about Mini is great! Really, I'm glad to see ANY new manufacturer in the WRC. I miss the days when there were more than basically two kinds of cars out there. :p
 
It's the last chance to see the current generation WRC cars in action.

Also, if you have never been to watch a WRC event before it's something I really recommend. TV really kills the speed and noise of the cars, it's really different to see them with your own eyes.
 
The atmosphere is also something else when you're watching the stages live.
 
So I finally watched the rally earlier this month. Wow. Ford dropped the ball on that one. Even before they chose to use hard tires the two Finns were way behind. I'm wondering if there is something wrong with the cars. I didn't expect them to lag that far behind.
 
Mini confirms entry into 2011 World Rally Championship with Countryman

https://pic.armedcats.net/b/bl/blitzr/2010/07/27/p90064536-630.jpg

Were it not for the efforts of John Cooper and drivers like Paddy Hopkirk on the European rally stages of the 1960s, the Mini brand probably wouldn't have the beloved reputation that it does today ? in fact, it's possible it would never be around today at all. BMW has confirmed a longstanding rumor with today's announcement that Mini is heading back to international rallying with the Countryman WRC beginning in 2011.

The Countryman WRC is being developed by long-time Subaru partner Prodrive for the new Super2000 regulations and will run in select World Rally Championship rounds in 2011 before taking on the full 2012 season and beyond. The rally special will have a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four with all-wheel-drive. Prodrive started work on the project early last year and testing will start this Fall.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/27/mini-confirms-entry-into-2011-world-rally-championship-with-coun/

MINI set to join World Rally Championship from 2011.

* 27.07.2010
* Press Release

Munich. MINI is making a comeback on the international rally circuit. From 2011, the brand will compete at selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and will go on to contest the entire season from 2012 onwards. This involvement is planned for several years.

The car charged with this task is the MINI Countryman WRC, which is being developed by Prodrive, in close cooperation with MINI, and is based on the production model. The powerful heart of the racing car is a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-charged engine from BMW Motorsport. The car complies with the new Super2000 regulations put in place by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which stipulate the use of turbo engines with 1,600 cc displacement and four-wheel drive combined with an increased emphasis on road relevant technologies. The result is a significant 25 per cent reduction in overall costs. The first test drive for the MINI Countryman WRC, which will also be available to customer teams, is planned for autumn 2010.

This decision sees MINI continue its success story in the world of rallying. In the 1960s, the MINI Cooper S caused a sensation with victories at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. The company also tasted success on many occasions in the European Rally Championship. Having already demonstrated the sporty character of its models in many countries in the MINI CHALLENGE, the brand is now taking its presence in motorsport to a new level with the commitment to the WRC.

Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing, says: "I am delighted MINI will be represented on one of the most popular stages in international motorsport. The success enjoyed on the rally circuit has made a vital contribution to the image of the brand. MINI customers have always shown great interest in motorsport. I am convinced we will add a few more chapters to our success story in rallying. The MINI Countryman provides an excellent basis, from which to create a competitive racing car for the world championship. In Prodrive, we have a strong and experienced partner. We will work hard together over the coming months to ensure we get the project on track right from the word go."

"This is a very exciting new motorsport programme," said Prodrive Chairman, David Richards. "During the 1960s MINI captured the imagination of the world when the tiny car took on the might of V8 powered Fords and won what was then one of the toughest motorsport events, the 4000km Monte Carlo rally. I believe our new MINI will become a firm favourite of the latest generation of rally fans, just as it is adored by its millions of owners across the world. We already have a significant number of confirmed customer orders for the new MINI rally car with the first deliveries scheduled for the start of the 2011 season."

Prodrive has been working on developing the MINI Countryman WRC since early 2009. The company was formed in 1984 by Richards, who won the World Rally Championship as co-driver to Ari Vatanen (FI) three years earlier. Based in Banbury (GB), Prodrive has developed into a leading independent company in the motorsport and automobile sector under Richards' guidance, and today employs over 500 staff. Prodrive's many successes currently include six overall victories in the World Rally Championship, five titles in the British Touring Car Championship and three class victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours (FR).

BMW was present when the World Rally Championship made its debut back in 1973. Achim Warmbold (DE) and Jean Todt (FR) tasted victory in their BMW 2002 at the Alpenfahrt Rally in Austria. However, MINI's tradition in this discipline stretches back even further: Pat Moss (GB) clinched the first victory with the MINI 850 at the 1959 Mini Miglia National Rally. MINI ultimately enjoyed its finest hours at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967: the MINI Cooper S celebrated three overall victories at the most iconic rallying event in the world. Paddy Hopkirk (IR, 1964), Timo M?kinen (FI, 1965) and Rauno Aaltonen (FI, 1967) joined the list of winners at this prestigious event. In 1965, "Rally Professor" Aaltonen also won the European Rally Championship. Tony Ambrose (GB) and M?kinen finished second and third to round off an excellent overall result for the MINI Cooper S. In addition, MINI drivers also enjoyed many individual wins at renowned rallies throughout Europe. The last BMW World Rally Championship victory was achieved in 1987 in Corsica by Bernard B?guin (FR) driving a BMW M3 which was built and run by Prodrive.

From 2011, over 40 years down the line, the MINI Countryman WRC will be charged with adding further chapters to this success story. It bridges the gap between the classic MINI concept and a contemporary Sports Activity Vehicle. The brand's first model to feature four doors and a wide-opening tailgate, it offers more space ? which can be used in a wide variety of ways ? to go with its raised seating position and optimised ride comfort. Plus, the "go-kart" feeling for which MINI is a byword has been preserved and takes on a new dimension with the optional MINI ALL4 all-wheel-drive system. The MINI Countryman expresses the defining virtues of the brand in terms of design, premium quality, handling, efficiency and the scope for customisation ? and does so in an absorbingly individual way.

The next step down from the racing version is the MINI Cooper S Countryman. With its twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection now complemented by fully variable valve management, the 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the range-topping model offers by far the best balance between output and fuel consumption in its displacement class. The engine generates an impressive 135 kW/184 bhp and allows the MINI Cooper S Countryman to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds. Furthermore, the MINIMALISM concept sees wide-ranging technology designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions ? such as Brake Energy Regeneration, the Auto Start/Stop function, Shift Point Display and the need-based operation of ancillary components ? fitted as standard and in model-specific combinations.

The MINI Cooper S Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman can be ordered as an option with MINI ALL4 permanent all-wheel drive. Here, an electromagnetic centre differential positioned directly on the final drive varies the distribution of power seamlessly between the front and rear axles. In normal driving conditions up to 50 per cent of the drive is sent to the rear wheels, in extreme situations as much as 100 per cent. The result is a new, traction-led expression of the agile handling for which MINI is famed.
 
Petter Solberg's new car?
 
Petter Solberg's new car?

Very possibly. I would be surprised if Petter didn't have any connections with this project, and I recon Prodrive also needs an experienced driver in their lineup to develop their car. Their best options would be Petter, Toni Gardemeister and possibly Marcus Gr?nholm who might be available for a limited programme and a testing role. Maybe add Francois Duval to that but I don't know how much experience he has from developing a car, he hasn't done that much rallying in a factory team.
 
What happened to Chris Atkinson? I'd love to see him back in the WRC, and possibly driving for the new Mini team.
 
MTV3 have done good job hyping the Rally Finland/Neste Rally in here. I actually have been hyped to tune in and watch it(that really haven't happened in the past 2 years).
They are expecting exceed at least 330 000 viewers to be watching on the place. No doubt because of the record summer.

Waiting to see some more rollovers from Raikkonen in Rally Finland. ;)
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So I finally watched the rally earlier this month. Wow. Ford dropped the ball on that one. Even before they chose to use hard tires the two Finns were way behind. I'm wondering if there is something wrong with the cars. I didn't expect them to lag that far behind.

Citr?en and Ford did a gentlemen's agreement to not develope the WRC car this year so they can go all up for the next seasons cars when they will have the big changes. Thing is that Citr?en did actually develope the car still... but using old parts. Nothing wrong with that as the gentlemen's agreement allowed that, but Ford did nothing to the car. At least this is how it was explained in car magazine i was reading couple of days ago.
 
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Ha! They wouldn't be French if they didn't cheat.
 
Just came back from the Laajavuori stage, loads of people there and apparently I was seen on TV (wearing a Finalgear T-shirt, of course). Hirvonen was by far and away most spectacular of the top runners through the corner we were watching in, everyone else seemed to take things quite cautiously.
 
He needs to be.
 
Just came back from the Laajavuori stage, loads of people there and apparently I was seen on TV (wearing a Finalgear T-shirt, of course). Hirvonen was by far and away most spectacular of the top runners through the corner we were watching in, everyone else seemed to take things quite cautiously.

Yeah, I saw that Finalgear shirt and was literally WTF?!?? Good for you for wearing it. I just might have to take my own Outlines shirt with me on Saturday...
 
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