Subaru follows Suzuki out of WRC

Eurosport - Tue, 16 Dec 17:47:00 2008

Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars, is to pull out of the World Rally Championship citing the global economic crisis.

Subaru - World Rally Championship - 0

The exit leaves just world champions Citroen, owned by PSA Peugeot Citroen, and cash-strapped Ford Motor Co chasing the manufacturers' title next year.

"Our business environment has changed dramatically due to the rapid deterioration of the global economy," Fuji Heavy chief executive Ikuo Mori said in Tokyo.

"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," a tearful Mori said, briefly losing his composure at one point.

Automakers all over the world are under severe pressure to find ways to reduce spending as a sudden downturn in global car demand knocks profitability.

Honda Motor Co, Japan's number two automaker, this month quit Formula One racing for similar reasons, saying it needed the cash for its core auto-making business.

Rallying does not have anything like the budgets of Formula One, where a team like Honda can burn through $500 million a year, and the sport also has a long-standing tradition of private entrants.

"Subaru's departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport's icons," said David Richards, whose British-based Prodrive company ran the team.

"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."

Still, Subaru's decision will deal a blow to fans, and possibly to its brand image, which the automaker said had helped it expand sales around the world.

Established in 1989, the team won manufacturers' titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997 and had boasted some of the best drivers in the sport, including Carlos Sainz, Colin McRae and Richard Burns.

Subaru finished in third place of six teams in the manufacturers' championship this year.

Reuters

Comment 11 - 30 of 30

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  1. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ELENA ...LIMIT THE PERMISSIBLE­ BUDGET AND LET EVERYONE JOIN IN

    From Mark, on Thu 15 Jan 8:24AM

  2. Sad day for the car made famous by McRae

    From the-tourist, on Wed 17 Dec 4:24PM

  3. 2010 wud see the end for 4WD anyway. Citroen have­ developed and supported the C2 and Ford the Fiesta.­ Professional drivers dont get paid like F1 drivers­ (though they deserve twice as much), but 4WD has been­ very expensive to operate. Thos beasts use over 150­ tyres per event their vans carry sufficient spares to­ build three more cars, the whole thing was out of the­ ball park. Going back to "supported" grass­ root racing is a welcome opportunity for young drivers­ as well.

    From elenavinogradovalowe, on Wed 17 Dec 9:27AM

  4. If the rumors are true ans PSA but Honda F1, then they­ will pull out of WRC. Ford probably go back to backing­ privateers, and then the sport can get back to grass­ root racing, and develop the sport and cars back to a­ better future. A step back but in this eco climate it­ will have to be done. Pay cuts all round.

    From ANDREW, on Wed 17 Dec 7:24AM

  5. ya i think is time 4 subaru take a rest n study back­ how to win coz this few years subaru in WRC doesnt win­ the manufacture title is not saying than driver but we­ can see normaly is mech. problem so wat to do wish­ subaru all the best in future

    From , on Tue 16 Dec 10:43PM

  6. its a big lost to the wrc i think that footballers­ should get a pay cut to much money in football­ something needs to be sorted to keep motorsport a live

    From darrencassells, on Tue 16 Dec 10:04PM

  7. When rallying is used as a means to build image to sell­ road cars Subaru have been on a loss leader for the­ last five years. Ugly, ugly cars that at their heart­ were under developed and under performing so people had­ no reason to buy. All coupled to a lead driver that has­ gotten more inept each year since 2003 and a team boss­ in David Lapworth that has mismanaged the whole­ operation for quite some time now. I hate to see them­ go, but Subs have to accept a large amount of blame for­ their current plight and not just blame 'the credit­ crunch'. You rally'ed to promote your brand and­ sell cars, then produced cars that were rubbish since­ 2003. What did they expect?

    From spunky_the_rabbit, on Tue 16 Dec 6:56PM

  8. subaru pulling out what a shame they blame money but­ stobart can afford to run 4 carls not just 2

    From david b, on Tue 16 Dec 3:31PM

  9. Even if they were not on top anymore, they were the­ only car maker that still had the rallying spirit when­ building their cars. I tought they were going back on­ top of WRC anytime soon. This is a very sad day for­ rally ;-(

    I hope it will help the company to­ recover from the financial crisis. The other question­ is were the WRC will be when the financial situation­ will be better...

    From Frédéric J, on Tue 16 Dec 3:28PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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    From , on Tue 16 Dec 3:13PM

  11. It's sad to see but not unpredictable. IMO the WRC­ should take a sabbaticle for a couple of years and wait­ until the finacial crises is over and start again in­ 2011

    From Reefgirl, on Tue 16 Dec 3:13PM

  12. It is pointless running the WRC if the "credit­ crunch" affects big teams. The WRC should close­ ASAP to save fans from further heartaches

    From Melanie, on Tue 16 Dec 2:32PM

  13. Here's an idea - bin the FIA sanctioned WRC and get­ Ford and Citroen into the IRC, then we can get rallying­ back to the great adventures that it should be. The FIA­ has never thought much of rallying, always a secondary­ concern after F1. Ford and Citroen don't have 4x4­ road cars so they could easily work with the regs.­ Subaru needed turbo engines because of it's road­ cars, the S2000 cars sounded great in Wales without the­ anti-lag!

    From Rupert, on Tue 16 Dec 2:02PM

  14. I too think it would be best if rallying returned to­ it's privateer roots, but think of all the people­ who have jobs tied into these factory teams and not­ just those employed at the factory.

    From Rupert, on Tue 16 Dec 1:44PM

  15. Citroen and Ford will both pull out, it is a pointless­ excercise. The sport will continue and in good rude­ health because there are lots of drivers and teams­ willing to give it a go. Perhaps all of the­ manufacturers could offer financial prizes to countries­ for best driver of the year in their marque. It would­ be face saving and money saving.

    From elenavinogradovalowe, on Tue 16 Dec 1:27PM

  16. Hopefully the remaining manufacturers feel it isn't­ worth being in a two car championship and Ford can­ certainly do with saving the cash. Back to private­ entrants which would be great fun.

    Grey hound paul:­ first, if UK investors hadn't been equally greedy,­ they would not have bought the investments in question.­ ii the problem is at least as bad with UK originated­ assets, and Spanish assets and . .

    From Rod, on Tue 16 Dec 12:13PM

  17. The sad way things are going, we could be robbed of the­ chance to see valentino Rossi star as a rally driver­ after he's hung up his leathers from Motto GP

    From the bear, on Tue 16 Dec 11:33AM

  18. even now i associate subaru with rally... this is so­ sad. if only money didn't make the world go around

    From Non, on Tue 16 Dec 11:29AM

  19. Scoobaru out :( sad day for the sport i owned one :-(

    From MWN, on Tue 16 Dec 11:24AM

  20. Citroen next.. watch this space

    From Half A Brain, on Tue 16 Dec 11:15AM
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