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Prodrive target WRC return in 2011

Prodrive boss David Richards is aiming to make a return to the World Rally Championship in 2011 with his Banbury outfit, and has stated that he is in negotiations with three manufacturers about a possible comeback, according to Motorsport News.

Richards wouldn't confirm who the manufacturers are that he is having discussions with, but did say that he had instructed his team to design the ultimate car in accordance with the new technical regulations.

Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Richards said to MN:

We looked at the regulations carefully and realised that 60 or 70 per cent of the car is generic so we put that to our team to design what they believed to be the ultimate car to the new regulations.

Clearly some of the regulations weren't known until recently, including the 1.6 litre turbo, but most of it we knew. We looked at it very carefully, from a practicality, cost and serviceability point of view. We took all the knowledge we've had over the last 25 years in the world championship and put it all together. We put the design team to work and they've been at it now for six months. They tell me they're 50 per cent into the design now.

Richards added that a new Prodrive developed car could be ready in time for the 2011 WRC:

I would have hoped by the latter part of this year we would have announced what are intentions are. We can have our car testing by May of next year and have homologation ready as soon as the new rules apply.