Prodrive wants Ketomaa in Subaru.

[A.F.F.]

Tonight at MTV3 they interviewed Jari Ketomaa. Unfortunately I didn't get to watch the whole clip but I understood Prodrive wants to give Ketomaa a chance to drive a newer Subaru in some selected rallies ?? Am I nowhere near the truth ?? And were they interested with co-operation with Ketomaa's shock absorber supplier?

[DonJippo]

Here is the whole story http://www.katsomo.fi/?progId=19854 , possibility to drive in rally GB with Subaru.

[Barreis]

Mr Richards is hungry.. xd

[Francis44]

A wrc??!!

[RS]

And were they interested with co-operation with Ketomaa's shock absorber supplier?

Who is that? Didn't Prodrive already change the shock absorber supplier once this year whilst trying to sue the old one?

[Tomi]

Good choise, propably our fastest driver at moment of those who dont drive WRC, best of luck to him.

[kiil]

I think i read recently (in Autosport) that all S14 WRCs was sold from Prodrive. So what car would they give him?

[Mirek]

4 S14 cars are in Netherlands, 1 in Italy and one destroyed. Right?

[Barreis]

They can build more cars I guess.. Engines come from Japan..

[WRCfan]

Would be cool to see this happen. New blood into the sport is great. I was impressed with his performance in Finland as were many I am sure.

[pino]

Good choise, propably our fastest driver at moment of those who dont drive WRC, best of luck to him.

I totally agree, this guy really impressed me in Finland :up:

[Sulland]

How many S14 does Adapta have ?

[Buzz Lightyear]

Good choise, propably our fastest driver at moment of those who dont drive WRC, best of luck to him.

For Ketomaa or Prodrive?

[A.F.F.]

For both obviously. I wouldn't mind seeing both entering WRC for good.

[Tomi]

For Ketomaa or Prodrive?

For Ketomaa maily, he dont have much money but a lot off skill + speed, a few rallies in a WRC does good for the carreer.
But not bad fro Prodrive either, if they plan to return if they play their cards right, they would get a driver with high potential for what i belive reasonable price.

[Barreis]

How many S14 does Adapta have ?

Maybe that could be second subaru in Adapta team..

[Wim]

I think Subaru could announce a comeback at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, again with Prodrive??

[Barreis]

:)

[WRCfan]

If Subaru is to announce anything or have anything unveiled I will be there to report back. Can't see it happening as Subaru is rumoured to be working with Toyota to make a Subaru AE86 Trueno baby....so the rumour mill runs.

[Juha_Koo]

First at all: Excellent news! Although being a Finn (with my blue and white coloured lenses), I believe that Jari is capable for very good results. Wales?...I'd say he's in theTOP5 if he stays out of trouble.


Who is that?

That's Exe-TC Competition Suspension.

Jari also mentioned Adapta WRT in that interview. How many S14s Adapta have? Back in Norway they operated two of them. I also got an impression that Prodrive really wants this to happen, because Jari forgot to mention the sponsors support first, but soon after "corrected" that "ofcourse sponsors are also important." But that's just me, maybe I'm thinking about semantics too much. :rolleyes:

[sal]

Prodrive have been using a WRC S14 in the UK in sprint events so that could always be utilised...

[Woodeye]

I see Ketomaa a bit like Jouko Puhakka back in the days. I think that Puhakka never got to drive a proper group A car, that's why he stayed in N, even though he was fast as hell.

Hopefully all will go well and Ketomaa gets to prove his speed with equal machines against the rest of the boys.

[Tomi]

I see Ketomaa a bit like Jouko Puhakka back in the days. I think that Puhakka never got to drive a proper group A car, that's why he stayed in N, even though he was fast as hell.

Hopefully all will go well and Ketomaa gets to prove his speed with equal machines against the rest of the boys.

I was thinking exactly the same before too, now it's good to see Ketomaa getting the chance Jokke never did get.

[Tomi]

Quick raw translation of the MTV3 Ketomaa story.


The Norwegian Adapta WRT -team and Prodrive invited Ketomaa to test the newest Subaru Imreza S14 car.

The finn did finish 7:th in his sofar only World Champion Rally, in an old Subaru factory car.
Prodrive who earlier did run the Subaru Rally program and Adapta WRT was surprised about my speed, but even more about the developoment i did for the car.
I managed to adjust the transmission and suspension to a competive level, in a car that is known as challenging, Ketomaa tells.
In Jyväskylä I managed to do a few faster stagetimes, than what the Subaru factory drivers had done in the two previous years.
The people from Prodrive has compaired the times and data, and that data is positive.

The target is 2010

Ketomaa gets behind the wheel of the S14 after 2 weeks in Norway. In the WRC the newest car is driven by Norwegian Mads Östberg,
and if the test goes well , Ketomaa might be the Adapta teams second driver next season.
- They want to see the difference driven by me, compaired to the car i did drive in Jyväskylä a month ago. I strongly belive that the newer model is more competitive.
All the parts want to find out what speed we can achive with the new car, Ketomaa says.
- I allso has been promised all the possible help, that I would get their second car for next seasons WRC series. It's also possible,
if everything goes well, that we would drive the finishing event in Wales, Ketomaa ended.

[koko0703]

I think Subaru could announce a comeback at the Tokyo Motor Show in October, again with Prodrive??

I really wish that will happen but in reality there is extremely small chance that Subaru makes comeback after a year. I think Suzuki is closer to return than Subaru if any of them were to make a comeback.

[Wim]

The crisis doesn't seem to hit Subaru, with very good sales figures in US (last month they sold over 28000)...So the financial aspect for them is much better than last year expected.