Don't be blue for missing Subaru

THE roar of the distinctive dark blue and yellow cars on Rally New Zealand is not over despite the withdrawal of Subaru from the World Rally Championship this week

The tough global economic situation coupled with the uncertain future around elite level rallying has led Subaru to pull the plug on its factory-backed team the longest running team in the WRC.

"It is a disappointment for sure but I also think that this is the business we are in," World Rally Championship President Morrie Chandler told Sunday News.

"Rally can survive with two manufacturers and this may open the door for other manufacturers to join the championship in 2010.

"It survived in the 1990s with only two manufacturers and I'm sure it will be fine next year as well. At the end of the day the sport is not factored around the manufacturers.

"All that we know is that Subaru won't be entering their works team so the championship will be missing two cars. Rally New Zealand will still have plenty of privately-owned Subarus competing in the future."

The message from the manufacturer when it made the announcement was tempered by talk it could re-enter the championship once major rule changes designed to dramatically reduce costs come into effect in the 2010 season.

"Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive's history, our focus now turns to the future," Subaru chairman David Richards said.

"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."

Chandler is confident other manufacturers will be involved in 2010.

"There has been a fair bit of interest. No one has signed on the dotted line but there have been a number of expressions of interest," he said.

Skoda is thinking of making a return to the WRC, while Volkswagen and Fiat have also shown interest in joining Ford and Citroen.

- © Fairfax NZ News