Subaru leaving WRC??? EDIT: It's official!

[bmer]

We already received the news about Suzuki pulling out of the World Rally Championship but now an unidentified source close to Subaru says the Japanese team will officially announce its exit from the series tomorrow. The deadline for team applications for 2009 season ends today. The team's communication department today nevertheless assured that Subaru will participate in the 2009 season starting with the Rally Ireland in January.

The source "revealed" this to Finnish TV channel's sports news so I don't know how reliable this info is. Looks like we will have to wait for tomorrow...

 

[bmer]

Re: Subaru leaving WRC???

The source was reliable, it's official now:

Subaru pulls out of the WRC​

Tuesday, December 16th 2008, 09:28 GMT


Subaru has made a shock announcement that it will pull out of the World Rally Championship with immediate effect.

Just 24 hours after Suzuki quit the series, Subaru cited the worldwide financial economic crisis as to why it will also not continue.

David Richards, the boss of the Prodrive company that runs Subaru's efforts in the WRC, was saddened by the decision which brings to an end a 20-year association.

"Subaru's departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport's icons," said Richards, who helped Prodrive win six WRC titles.

"The Subaru World Rally Team has created true champions such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns and its absence will be felt by many the world over. Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive's history, our focus now turns to the future."

Richards said Prodrive would look to redeploy their WRC workforce elsewhere in the company - having also confirmed that their customer rally teams will continue.

A statement from Prodrive suggested that they were looking for a swift return to the WRC, especially with new regulations are set to come into force in 2010.

"Looking ahead, 2010 will see the introduction of new World Rally Championship technical regulations, which provide Prodrive with an opportunity to prepare for re-entering the championship with a new team and build on its 24 years of World Rally Championship experience and success," said the statement.

Subaru has struggled to find form with the Impreza in recent years. The last victory was in September 2005, when Petter Solberg took victory in the Rally GB after Sebastien Loeb chose not to triumph following the death of Michael Park. The last win on merit was the Rally Mexico in March 2005.

The long-awaited new Impreza was introduced in the Acropolis Rally in May and, although its performance was originally encouraging with Solberg finishing second in Greece, it was never able to genuinely challenge Citroen or Ford for victories.

The team were hoping to push ahead with the development of the car ahead of next season and were planning to run four cars in 2009.

The withdrawal of Subaru and Suzuki in the last 24 hours leaves just two manufacturers in the sport - Citroen and Ford.


autosport.com - WRC News: Subaru pulls out of the WRC

 

[ree]

Re: Subaru leaving WRC???

Wow!! That's an era that is ending…they had so many success in the early years and now…only to car manufacture left…

 

[PanterroR]

Suzuki is leaving too...

 

[PanterroR]

Subaru and Suzuki pull out of WRC

Following Honda’s surprise announcement earlier this month that it was pulling out of Formula One, we now have news that both Subaru and Suzuki will be withdrawing from competing in the World Rally Championship (WRC) next year. Once again, the global economic crisis is being blamed for the withdrawal, with motorsport events high up on the list of expenses carmakers are cutting as they attempt to boost profits.

"Our business environment has changed dramatically due to the rapid deterioration of the global economy," the boss of Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company) Ikuo Mori told a news conference in Tokyo today. "In order to optimise the management resources and to strengthen the Subaru brand further, Fuji Heavy decided to withdraw from WRC activities at the earliest time."

With both Subaru and Suzuki out of the WRC, only Ford and Citroen remain for next year’s title, the latter already laying claim to the world champion title.

Subaru team boss David Richards had told Reuters earlier this week that Citroen, Ford and Subaru were all assessing their participation in the championship on an ongoing basis and that nothing could be taken for granted in the current climate.

The Subaru WRC team was established in 1989 and won the manufacturers' titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997. The team came third in this year’s event.


Source: Subaru and Suzuki pull out of WRC - MotorAuthority - Car news, reviews, spy shots

 

[AdvEvo]

We need even more co2 regulations for the car makers in this crisis time. Then you will see even more manufactors bale out.

This has to stop.


The earth is heating up. Man it s snowing in spain france and austria so much you can t even find youre own car/house again.

This whole Co2 thing is gonna kill the car makers and autosport.

 

[Giannis]

This is sad news! I can't think of anything more entertaining than Solberg in an Impreza WRD...

 

[Poverty]

ford and citroen to follow

 

[Deleted member 25]

New regulations are also ridiculous.

 

[Mockenrue]

 

[martinbo]

^ LOL - a lot!

Still, does little to numb the sadness I feel. It doesn't matter if Subaru are winning or losing - they are a massive part of the WRC. I mean really - what is the WRC without them? Ford vs. Citroen?

...well actually it's everyone else vs. Sebastian Loeb but that's another matter altogether!

I'm devastated by the news.

 

[Centurion]

Very sad, this is like Mclaren or Ferrari leaving F1. In the economic times we're living in right now, everyone has to rethink their priorities. A withdrawal doesn't necessarily mean that there won't be a comeback when the economy is back on the horse.

 

[klier]

We need even more co2 regulations for the car makers in this crisis time. Then you will see even more manufactors bale out.

This has to stop.


The earth is heating up. Man it s snowing in spain france and austria so much you can t even find youre own car/house again.

This whole Co2 thing is gonna kill the car makers and autosport.

You always act like nothing is happening and this whole co2 thing is BS.
Well, I thought that too, but that was 10 years ago. Now I know it's real and something has to be done about it, it's as simple as that.

This whole co2 thing is not killing car makers and autosport, but this very planet.