By Justin Lee

SUBARU RALLYING FANS need not feel disappointed about the company’s withdrawal from the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC) at the end of the 2008 season.

The FIA is a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users. It is also the governing body for many motor racing events.

Subaru will still have a presence at the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) albeit in the form of a team established by the brand’s local distributor Motor Image Enterprises.

The Motor Image Rally Team (MIRT) was established in 2007.

Its rally driver Cody Crocker and MIRT-Subaru has won the APRC Driver’s Championship title and Manufacturer’s Title respectively for two consecutive years.

For the 2009 APRC season, MIRT will have a brand new Impreza STI GRB rally car that will be assembled in Singapore and a new driver line-up.

The APRC is primarily a Group N championship in that the cars used belong to Production cars (Group N) class as subject to regulations laid down by the FIA.

Subaru has pulled out of the WRC after 19 years of involvement due to the global economic downturn.

Its parent company Fuji Heavy Industries says that in order for it to optimise its management resources and to further strengthen the brand, it has decided to withdraw from WRC activities at the earliest possible timing.