Rival teams welcome MINI to the WRC fold

Bosses of the Ford and Citroen teams have welcomed MINI’s decision to tackle a selected programme of world championship rallies in 2011 ahead of a full attack from 2012.

Citroen team head Olivier Quesnel said the announcement by MINI last month was a firm indication that the WRC was set for a bright future, while Malcolm Wilson, his counterpart at Ford, said the move sent out a “great message” for the WRC.

“It’s really good news for WRC first of all and now I’m really sure the worst is behind us because we can think that other manufacturers will come in the future,” said Quesnel. “For Citroen to have MINI, especially because we will have the DS3, is the best news we can have. We are very pleased.”

Wilson added: “It’s great it’s been confirmed because it’s been on the cards for so long. It sends out a great message for the WRC that we’ve got another important manufacturer coming into the championship, which is something we’ve all been hoping would happen. It can only be a benefit to the championship and I hope MINI coming in has the desired effect.”

Both Quesnel and Wilson recalled early memories of MINI competing in its heyday in the 1960s with the Cooper S model.

“My memory was as an eight-year-old watching it on the RAC Rally in Whinlatter,” said Wilson. “It was such a small car with sparks coming off the sump guard but no other cars were doing that.”

Quesnel said: “When I was young I used to live in Cannes and I went to see the Monte [Carlo Rally] with my scooter when I was 16. I went to see during the night and I see the MINI. It was a good choice.”

Speaking to World Rally Radio, David Richards, whose Prodrive organisation is developing the MINI Countryman WRCs, added: “The championship has so much to offer. It’s had a difficult period but now with a clear calendar and future, plus an injection of new manufacturers, it’s on its way back up. I’m pretty sure MINI coming will wake up a lot of people.”