Exciting news was released from Subaru.
Richard is coming back to Subaru!
Our current driver Makinen will put an end to his glorious racing career after this season.

source: STi
http://www.subaru-msm.com/global/news/030818_2.html


SUBARU WORLD CHAMPION BURNS RETURNS HOME

General News
18 Aug. 2003



2001 FIA World Rally Champion Richard Burns, who gained his title driving an Impreza WRC, has today signed a two-year contract that will see him return to Subaru from the start of next season. Richard currently leads this year's Drivers' Championship by five points, with five events still remaining.

His long-standing co-driver Robert Reid, who was paired with Burns in their Championship winning year, will also join Richard back at Subaru.

Burns and Reid started their works driving careers with Subaru in 1993, when Richard became the youngest winner of the British Championship. They stayed with the team for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, competing on selected rounds of the WRC and coming second in the Asia Pacific Championship. The pair left to drive for Mitsubishi between 1996 and 1998, but returned to Subaru in 1999 for three hugely successful years, during which time Richard collected eight of his ten WRC victories, and the 2001 FIA Drivers' title.

"Subaru is the team I've had the most success with," said Burns. "And I'm really looking forward to being part of it again. For the time being though I'm putting thoughts of next year to the back of my mind. My focus is the current season, there's still a long way to go, and I'll continue to push 100 per cent for the 2003 title."

The news follows the announcement earlier today that 39-year-old Tommi Mäkinen will retire from World Championship rallying at the end of the season, having spent the past two years with the 555 Subaru World Rally Team.

Burns and Reid will replace Mäkinen and his co-driver Kaj Lindstrom, and will compete alongside Petter Solberg and Philip Mills, runners up in last year's Drivers' Championship. Viewed by many as one of the most significant transfer deals of the season, the combination of 32-year-old Burns and 28-year-old Solberg gives Subaru an extraordinary mixture of talent and experience, and re-ignites the association they had in 2001.

David Lapworth, Team Principal of the 555 Subaru World Rally team, said: "I'm very excited about having Richard back on board at Subaru. He's enjoyed a great deal of success, not to mention the 2001 World Title with us, and with four seasons with the Impreza under his belt, he's sure to adapt quickly to the latest car. Richard and Petter are two of the most exciting drivers out there, and with both of them driving for Subaru I believe our line-up for 2004 is second to none."

Masaru Katsurada, President of Subaru Tecnica International, said: "I've no experience of working with Richard myself, but we were all very proud of his achievement when he won the Championship with Subaru in 2001 and I'm very happy to welcome him back to the team. Together with the latest Impreza WRC, we're expecting some good performances from him next year."

 

I'm sorry to see Tommi go I really like him. It'll be good for the team though to get another talented driver back in like Richard, but I'm not sure how Petter will feel about it. As I said I think Richard is a very talented driver I saw him do some amazing things in Kenya a couple of years back in a Suby, but I don't much care for him as a person. I remember back when he won the driver's championship and when the press asked him how he felt about it he said "I deserve it". What is that about! And one time Petter took the mic and pretended to be interviewing Richard and he was kinda rude. Anyway it should be good for the team and as always I will be rooting for Petter.

 

I am glad to see the return Burns
But frankly I would be more happy to see the team put more support and confidence on Petter. He has shown tremendous amount talent in recent stages.

I think The Subaru team hasn't been very faithful in Petter at all: burns left and they found tommi in; now tommi go and they beg burns back. Personally I don't like this.

 

If you want to seriously contend for a manufacturer's title, you need 2 studs. This says a lot of good things to me, namely that Subaru is looking for the Mfg championship and not only a driver's title.

I also disagree about Tommi not doing anything. I think that the horrific crash probably shook him a bit, as well as the Argentinian roll where he had almost won, but I have to think that he also has provided some benefit to Petter.

And Petter flat out rocks. I welcome Richard back, but I don't think he is coming back as the #1 driver for the team. Especially not after Petter takes the title this year!!!

 

switching teams happens all the time in the rally world, and you can't really go anywhere without going to a competing team. when contracts are only for a year or two, people tend to move arround a lot. that said, being privvy to some of the negotiations would be kinda interesting.

just check out Luis Moya, who is now the sporing director for Subaru, spying on Carlos Sainz' Citroen in the footage from the Tour de Corse. hell, you can't get much more cut-throat than that, and it's pretty common place in the WRC.

 

Well, er...

Burns is out cause of his brain tumor, not for any other reason. Mikko is only temporarily replacing Burns, probably only for 2004 (if Burns gets better).

This post is from before news of the tumor became public (check the date on the original post in this thread).

 

what is mcrae doign

 

McRae is driving in the Dakar and possibly some other rally raids for Nissan this year.

Other then that, he's not doing much.

 

bummer i would like to see him in a subaru again