Block to set up WRC team for the next 3 seasons

[Scaff]

Its not confirmed yet, but the story is interesting to say the least.

Chris Atkinson has declined to comment on speculation linking him to a return to the WRC in 2010 as part of a new top-level team backed by Monster energy drink and led by American rally star Ken Block.

According to a story in the British press, Block is just weeks away from finalising a deal to run the 'Monster Energy Drink World Rally Team' in association with Ford's rally partner M-Sport, for the next three WRC seasons.

Block, who drives for the Monster-backed Subaru USA rally team, has tackled a handful of WRC rallies in the Group N class, but has become a rallying hero in his homeland thanks mainly to the 'Gymkhana' series of internet stunt driving videos, featuring him at the wheel of a rally-spec Subaru Impreza.

Block reportedly wants his friend, former Subaru driver Chris Atkinson, to join him in the team next year.

But while M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson has admitted talks with Block's management team had been going on 'for some time' Chris Atkinson, who last made a WRC appearance on this year's Rally Ireland, wouldn't confirm or deny the story.

Chris's manager told wrc.com: "Our clear objective is to get Chris back in the WRC in a competitive car as soon as possible, and we're doing everything we can to make that happen. We're having ongoing discussions with a number of different parties for 2010 but, as you'd expect, we can't comment on any individual stories."

Block, meanwhile, has made no secret of his desire to have a serious attempt at the WRC. Speaking to WRC TV last month, he said: "I would love to have the opportunity to race in the WRC, I think my skill level is getting close as far as the actual driving, but I need a lot more experience, especially a lot more experience on the two-pass recce side. It's all about opportunities, though, and hopefully someday I’ll have that opportunity.

"To be able to do Rally Finland in a WRC car - that to me is the epitome of rallying - I would love to do that someday," he added.

Source - http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?ln...kinson+tight-lipped+about+Monster+opportunity


Regards

Scaff

 

[TeamStig]

It'll be great to see an American in rallying. With the FIA moving to a cost friendly formula and more manufacturers/teams on board, next season is looking really good!

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

I'm going to see Ken race tomorrow . I hope with his entrance into the WRC they will finally bring a stage to the US. I think Ken having Monster and DC with him he can promote it fairly good. It is cool though that he's going over though. Maybe Travis will make a few runs.

 

[Scaff]

Both Ken and Travis have competed in a few rounds already, just in Group N cars rather than WRC cars, Ken has done Mexico and Travis Mexico, Argentina and GB.

As far as I can recall only Travis has scored any points to date (4 points in Mexico), but the more we have in the WRC the better, but without a doubt it will take a while to adjust to the two pass recce style and diverse locations in the WRC.


Scaff

 

[red70mach1]

It'll be great to see an American in rallying. With the FIA moving to a cost friendly formula and more manufacturers/teams on board, next season is looking really good!

I checked the new regulations and WRC will retain the all wheel drive and turbocharger as opposed to thier touring car variant.

 

[HaoleHatingWRX]

Good news for WRC fans in the US...hopefully this will get some attention. I also like Atkinson getting another chance. I wasn't sold on him early at Subaru but eventually I figured out the car was just plain slow and he was doing a pretty good job considering what he had.

 

[Ian Poole]

Just a suggestion but how about, if Block Party gets his own team, him and Travis Pastrana togeher like a "super team"?

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Yay

 

[Ardius]

Hmm, its a shame he's coming in when WRC is in a serious state.

I kind of wish he was entering IRC really...

 

[Tommi]

Awesome!. It's made my decision on who to support a lot harder now though.

 

[Scaff]

Hmm, its a shame he's coming in when WRC is in a serious state.

I kind of wish he was entering IRC really...

I'm glad he's coming in given the state of the WRC.

The series needs (in a big way) names like this, combine it with KR's drive in the WRC and you have a big pull for people to watch the series.

Viewing figures will help pull back manufacturers (along with the rule changes), which in my book is a good thing for what I still hold as my favorite form of motorsport.


Regards

Scaff

 

[SUPER NUMBBER]

Funny, cause as far as I know it was the rules that pushed Subaru out.

 

[The Outlaw]

Congrats to Ken on finding a ride 👍 He's a great addition to the sport, and will definitely bring much needed WRC coverage and popularity to the United States

I doubt he'll be very competitive with the top drivers though, as I don't think his talent level (at least in rallying) is anywhere near that of the best in WRC (Loeb, Hirvonen, Solberg), from watching some of his onboard footage in the US rallies.

 

[Scaff]

Funny, cause as far as I know it was the rules that pushed Subaru out.

Nothing to do with the parent company making huge losses and them singularly failing to perform well at all?

The new rules (that can't have forced Subaru out as they have not yet come into force) have proven more attractive to manufacturers that they have been ofputting.

Exactly how well they will work remains to be seen, but certainly they are not the single factor behind Subaru pulling out if the WRC.



Regards

Scaff

 

[Ardius]

I'm glad he's coming in given the state of the WRC.

The series needs (in a big way) names like this, combine it with KR's drive in the WRC and you have a big pull for people to watch the series.

Viewing figures will help pull back manufacturers (along with the rule changes), which in my book is a good thing for what I still hold as my favorite form of motorsport.


Regards

Scaff

Hmm, but there is a clear interest from the manufacturers in the cheaper IRC.

No doubt Block coming into the WRC will help, but I have little interest in WRC nowadays beyond the title battle between Loeb and whoever can be consistent enough to challenge him.
I find the IRC much more entertaining, but thats my opinion. I'll still watch both.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I'm glad he's coming in given the state of the WRC.

The series needs (in a big way) names like this, combine it with KR's drive in the WRC and you have a big pull for people to watch the series.

Between the two, I'd say Block can do more for the sport than Raikkonen. I think he's a lot like Colin McRae in that he can take the sport back to the mainstream. Unlike McRae, he's already got a serious following when he joined, so he'll bring with him a hell of a lot of attention.

 

[Sharky.]

Block is to WRC what Kobayashi is to F1 - completely mad.

Good luck to the man, he should be fun to watch. Hopefully he can surprise a few of the "experts" once or twice 👍

 

[Scaff]

Between the two, I'd say Block can do more for the sport than Raikkonen. I think he's a lot like Colin McRae in that he can take the sport back to the mainstream. Unlike McRae, he's already got a serious following when he joined, so he'll bring with him a hell of a lot of attention.

He will in the US without a doubt, in Europe hes still (in the mainstream) an unknown. However Raikkonen does that job rather well in dragging a fair few F1 fans who may have not watch the WRC over.

Block is to WRC what Kobayashi is to F1 - completely mad.

Good luck to the man, he should be fun to watch. Hopefully he can surprise a few of the "experts" once or twice 👍

Much as I like Block, I feel he's more realistic about his first year or so in the WRC than you are being. He has competed in a few events before (see my earlier posts) and finished in the high middle. The WRC is much longer events than he is used to and the limited recci system it operates is something Block himself acknowledges will take a while to get used to. That's why this is a 3 year package he's running, its going to take time to get up to the level needed, that said with Ford M-Sport preping and running the cars he has a damn good team behind him



Regards

Scaff

 

[Sharky.]

I'm not expecting him to win, you know Maybe one or two top tens and ahead of a couple of seasoned vets, but certainly not waaaaay up there in the top three

 

[in.s@ne]

He's driving a Ford Fiesta?

And here I was hoping for some more Ken Block Impreza action...

 

[prisonermonkeys]

And here I was hoping for some more Ken Block Impreza action...

Subaru have ended their WRC program. Block may be getting works support for driving the Ford, support he wouldn't get in an Impreza. And he's driving a Fiesta, not a Focus, though it's likely they'll eventually switch to a Fiesta in the future.

 

[CodeRedR51]

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/26/video-ken-block-and-new-ford-fiesta-rally-car-meet-its-love

 

[NotThePrez]

Note: That's his new Rally America Car, not the WRC.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

I'll see it live Friday, Yay. I'm hoping he'll bring his WRC car along for promotion, if they have one ready yet.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Mmmm, video.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Do they not have corners in America? All I saw were reasonably gentle changes in directions; why no hairpins, or sequences of bends?

 

[Ardius]

^ What kind of question is that? Not every rally stage in the world has a hairpin.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

^ What kind of question is that? Not every rally stage in the world has a hairpin.

I know ... but where's the challenge if a stage is just a long flowing left, a straight, a long flowing right, a straight, a long flowing left and rinse, lather repeat?

 

[Ardius]

The speed mainly, you're on a snowy/icy road going very fast with some tight enough corners that test the limit of grip at speed.
In any case, as the video says, its a test, for all we know they were testing the overall high speed performance of the car or the gearbox or whatever.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

That was just a test run. I'm here now for te rally (Leaving to go to a stage and Iv'e seen plenty of turns so far. THe Fiesta looks good in person too.

I'll get better pictures today, less trees