“We need to build up the number of teams in the championship, whether that be through manufacturers or private entries,” he emphasises.
“Why haven’t we got a private individual who loves rally, who is able to create their own body shell and create their own team? Buy the chassis, engine and running gear off a manufacturer: we’ve suddenly got another team. There are individuals with the money out there [to do that].
“Let’s get 10-12 teams, like F1 – half manufacturer, half private entries – buying services off the other teams. You then build some value into it, more manufacturers want to buy the private teams, and the series grows.”
Prodrive boss David Richards, whose team has won numerous WRC titles and is now involved in the World Rally Raid Championship – its premier event being the Dakar Rally – recently stated that it costs the same amount to compete at the Saudi Arabia event as it does the Monte Carlo rally, reasoning that is a significant reason why the WRC is struggling to attract manufacturer new entries.
Audi and Toyota are also currently running at Dakar, with Volkswagen and Peugeot also being recent entries – M-Sport is also working on a Ford pick-up Dakar car for next year.
Millener emphasises championship must improve at marketing itself
DPPI
Hyundai is thought to spend around $60m a year on WRC, though with M-Sport operating on a much smaller budget, Millener refutes the Prodrive bosses view: “When you hear some of the numbers being thrown around for some of the top Dakar teams, you could do a WRC season for that – so why are why haven’t we got that? Why isn’t it the other way around?”
It’s in this element that the M-Sport principal looks to F1 for its recent success.
“What we need to do is commercialise rally more, to make demand for people to come in – I keep telling people that with these spaceframes, we have a fantastic opportunity.
