WRC: Prodrive rubbishes Mini split rumours

Nathan · Feb 2, 2012

jbewley said: ↑

Really?? I did not realize that VW was bigger then BMW. I know a lot about the "horse world", so you folks will have to bring me up to speed on the "car world".

Jim
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2011 Global Sales Figures.

1. General Motors 9.02 million
2. Volkswagen 8.16 million
3. Nissan-Renault 8.03 million
4. Toyota 7.95 million

Somewhere way down there

BMW / MINI

Steve · Feb 3, 2012

Announcement due next week on future of Prodrive's WRC Mini future (AUTOSPORT.com)

By David Evans | Friday, February 3rd 2012, 17:17 GMT

A resolution to the ongoing situation between the BMW Group and Prodrive is expected early next week, when the Banbury firm is reportedly going to be told that its contract to build Mini John Cooper Works WRCs is terminated.

As reported by AUTOSPORT on Thursday, the BMW Group's decision is believed to have been taken to split from Prodrive. That decision is expected to be communicated to the company responsible for the development and build of the Mini either on Friday or early next week.

AUTOSPORT's sources have reported that a meeting of Prodrive staff has been convened for Monday morning.

When contacted by AUTOSPORT on Friday afternoon, a spokesperson from the BMW Group said: "We have no comment to make".

Despite collecting three podiums from seven World Rally Championship starts, the dispute between Prodrive and the BMW Group over financing the programme appears beyond reconciliation.
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agranger · Feb 3, 2012

Mr. Left Hand, please meet Mr. Right Hand:

minimark · Feb 3, 2012

.....so maybe the question now is: will Prodrive continue racing the Mini as a privateer or move on the very first good offer they get?

Can't wait to hear the full story because as is, this has do go down in the history books as one of the most ridiculous things to happen in racing ever....:crazy:

Crashton · Feb 3, 2012

My guess is ProDrive will move on to other things. Could be wrong I often am.

agranger · Feb 3, 2012

Crashton said: ↑

My guess is ProDrive will move on to other things. Could be wrong I often am.
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As they are a hardware firm and not a racing enterprise, I'd be willing to bet that you are right.

Justa Jim · Feb 3, 2012

minimark said: ↑

.....so maybe the question now is: will Prodrive continue racing the Mini as a privateer or move on the very first good offer they get?

Can't wait to hear the full story because as is, this has do go down in the history books as one of the most ridiculous things to happen in racing ever....:crazy:
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I am guessing that Pro Drive was doing something before BMW asked them to build the MINI, so Crash could be right and they will move on. On the other hand, with BMW out of the picture, Pro Drive might pick up a sponsor and run with it. What will this do to the privateers? Will Pro Drive still work with their cars? Will they still make MINI's available for privateers?

Now, lets go back in time. Was John Cooper Works running Mini's on their own, or was their factory backing?

Jim

Crashton · Feb 3, 2012

Those Mini's of yore were factory BMC cars. The factory had its own race & rally teams.

ScottinBend · Feb 3, 2012

I think it will end up just like the Subaru WRC car........bailed on. When Subaru stopped backing the team, Prodrive had to drop the car.

Steve · Feb 4, 2012

A little more speculation near the end of this one...

Mini and Prodrive on verge of split (MaxRally.com)

4th February 2012 | By Giles Wade

Mini and Prodrive look set to announce their divorce this week, following a long-running disagreement over the way that their World Rally Championship programme is funded.

Although Mini has enjoyed plenty of success since the programme started in Sardinia last year â€“ most recently finishing second in Monte Carlo with Dani Sordo â€“ parent company BMW has not been in a position to fully fund the campaign due to its commitments to a new DTM programme in Germany.

Prodrive planned to make up the shortfall through commercial sponsorship and customer car sales, but the projected income did not materialise from those sources, leading Prodrive to ask for extra funding from BMW - a request that was not welcomed. For 2012, Prodrive planned to run different drivers in the second factory car alongside Sordo in order to maximise revenue opportunities.

Now though, despite assurances from Prodrive to the contrary, BMW is aiming to move the programme elsewhere, possibly to the X-Raid team that developed the Dakar-winning Mini Countryman. Motorsport Italia - which runs the customer Minis of Paolo Nobre and Armindo Araujo - and BMW's sometime touring car partner ORECA have also been mooted as alternatives.

The decision to split from Prodrive has been made at board level and was scheduled to be announced imminently. What this means for the immediate future of the programme is unclear, with the team having already set off for Rally Sweden.
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Justa Jim · Feb 4, 2012

ostcount

Jim

Crashton · Feb 4, 2012

^ :lol:

Steve · Feb 6, 2012

There may have been a BIG turnaround here. No details yet other than this from Prodrive:

"Great news - MINI confirms commitment to WRC and Prodrive for the long term."

ScottinBend · Feb 6, 2012

Lets hope this was all just "negotiating" terms..........

Nathan · Feb 6, 2012

But but....

This just went up on the AutoSport site.

Prodrive loses status as Mini's factory World Rally team

Mini has confirmed that Prodrive's involvement with the Mini World Rally programme has been reduced to the status of a works-supported private team.

The firm has agreed that the Motorsport Italia-run WRC Team Mini Portugal will contest the remaining 12 rounds scoring points in the manufacturers' championship with Armindo Araujo and Paulo Nobre driving.

Prodrive will retain responsibility for construction and support of Mini John Cooper Works WRC customer cars, while working with the BMW Group on the further development of the car, which made its WRC debut last year. The long-term homologation of the Mini has been underwritten until 2018.

"I am delighted that the future of Mini in the WRC has been secured on a long-term basis," said Dr Kay Segler, Mini's senior vice-president of business coordination and brand management.

"We remain convinced that the sport of rallying is perfectly suited to our brand. The situation we now find ourselves in means the Mini Motorsport family can, and will, continue to grow on the rally scene. With three podiums from just seven starts in the world championship, the Mini John Cooper Works WRC has already emphatically proven its potential. I am confident that our customer teams around the world will continue to thrill Mini fans with this car over the coming years.

"The FIA was just as interested in the long-term presence of the Mini brand in the WRC as we were, and was actively involved in finding a constructive solution. We are grateful for the good cooperation and the understanding it has shown us."

Segler then paid tribute to the work the Banbury-based Prodrive team had put in to turn the Countryman road car into a frontrunning World Rally Car.

"With its great enthusiasm and hard work, the Prodrive team has played a major role in the remarkable sporting success we have achieved on our initial outings with the Mini John Cooper Works WRC," he said.

"On behalf of Mini Motorsport, I would like to thank everyone at Prodrive for their efforts so far and we look forward to working with them in support of our Mini John Cooper Works WRC customers in the future."
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minimark · Feb 6, 2012

Deleted due to a lack in my reading comprehension....

Steve · Feb 6, 2012

I know, it's very confusing. I don't understand WHY they would do it but it looks like MINI switched the official manufacturer status and backing to the MINI Portugal Team. Prodrive is still listed but as a works-supported private team and yet is still charged with development of the car. Very confusing.

Here's the spin from MINI Motorsport:

MINI to follow new path in the FIA WRC.

MINI has secured an opportunity for the MINI John Cooper Works WRC to join in FIA WRC competition over the course of the next seven years.

After Dani Sordo (ES) and Carlos del Barrio (ES) finished second on the return of the brand to the legendary Monte Carlo Rally, the direction has now been set for a long-term MINI presence in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC): On Thursday 2 February, the FÃ©dÃ©ration Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) accepted a two-car manufacturer entry by WRC Team MINI Portugal into the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers. As a consequence MINI will complete the homologation for the MINI John Cooper Works WRC. The WRC Team MINI Portugal - consisting of Armindo AraÃºjo (PT) and his co-driver Miguel Ramalho (PT), as well as Paulo Nobre (BR) and co-driver Edu Paula (BR) - will contest the remaining 12 events of the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship.

This long-term homologation ensures that the MINI John Cooper Works WRC can be used in the premier league of rallying, and other series in accordance with FIA regulations, up to and including 2018. The cooperation with Prodrive will be put on a new basis. Prodrive remains responsible for the construction and support of MINI John Cooper Works WRC customer vehicles, and will continue to work with the BMW Group on the further development of the car. The WRC Team, run by Prodrive, will from now on start as a works-supported private team.

"I am delighted that the future of MINI in the WRC has been secured on a long-term basis," said Dr. Kay Segler, Senior Vice President MINI Business Coordination and Brand Management. "We remain convinced that the sport of rallying is perfectly suited to our brand. The situation we now find ourselves in means the MINI Motorsport family can, and will, continue to grow on the rally scene. With three podiums from just seven starts in the world championship, the MINI John Cooper Works WRC has already emphatically proven its potential. I am confident that our customer teams around the world will continue to thrill MINI fans with this car over the coming years. The FIA was just as interested in the long-term presence of the MINI brand in the WRC as we were, and was actively involved in finding a constructive solution. We are grateful for the good cooperation and the understanding it has shown us."

Segler added: "With its great enthusiasm and hard work, the Prodrive team has played a major role in the remarkable sporting success we have achieved on our initial outings with the MINI John Cooper Works WRC. On behalf of MINI Motorsport, I would like to thank everyone at Prodrive for their efforts so far and we look forward to working with them in support of our MINI John Cooper Works WRC customers in the future."
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minimark · Feb 6, 2012

Deleted for same reason as above....

Steve · Feb 6, 2012

Part of an article at MaxRally.com:

Mini strips Prodrive of factory team role

6th February 2012

Prodrive has lost its status as Mini's factory entrant in the World Rally Championship, but will continue to construct and run customer John Cooper Works WRCs in the series.

The split between Prodrive and BMW had been looming for several weeks amid a disagreement over the project's funding. Kris Meeke had already lost his drive as Prodrive opted to rotate paying drivers in the second seat opposite team leader Dani Sordo.

Mini has now entered the Motorsport Italia-run cars of Armindo Araujo and Paolo Nobre as a manufacturer team under the WRC Team Mini Portugal banner and said Prodrive's entries would become a "works-supported private team".

But Mini will complete the homologation of the John Cooper Works WRC, ensuring it will remaining eligible for the championship through 2018.
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Steve · Feb 6, 2012

Mini decision won't affect Prodrive and Dani Sordo's World Rally Championship programme (AUTOSPORT.com)

By David Evans | Monday, February 6th 2012, 17:55 GMT

Prodrive's Dani Sordo-led team will continue in the World Rally Championship despite the loss of its factory relationship with Mini, AUTOSPORT has learned.

Full details of how the new agreement will work are still being debated, but it remains possible that the Prodrive-run Mini World Rally Championship Team could still score manufacturer points, courtesy of its existing agreement with the FIA.

Mini announced this afternoon that it was ending Prodrive's status as the official works team - though the Banbury firm would continue to be responsible for customer cars.

A Prodrive source told AUTOSPORT: "In Sweden this week, nobody will notice any difference, our Mini World Rally Championship Team remains just as it has looked to date. This may change in time, it's still to be discussed with the FIA.

"There is no question that Dani remains in the team with us and it is our intention to compete with him for the rest of this season."
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